LEWISTON – Year after year, a hockey team made up of local police officers takes the ice against a team of former professionals. Year after year, the cops’ team gets spanked by the pros in front of a sellout crowd.

Tonight, the police will try again. This time, they have a few strategies to strap on along with their skates.

“We’re committed to winning this one,” said Lewiston police detective and team captain Jim Theiss. “We’ve been preparing all year. We’ve been eating right, working out, practicing, and we’ve got some of our guys in learn to skate programs. We’ve also had someone secretly taping the Bruins practices. Is that great, or what?”

A good start, but there’s more:

“Just to make sure we’ve got a good shot at winning this thing, we’ll get Randy Whitehouse and Kalle Oakes to predict a Bruins win,” Theiss said of the Sun Journal sports writers whose big game predictions have been less than laser-beam-accurate in the past.

The Lewiston Police Athletic League All-Stars may have another advantage: While the former pro skaters keep getting older, the cop team is generally comprised of officers with youth on their side.

Consider: the All Pro Bruins Legends this year include Rick Middleton, Bob Miller, Bruce Shoebottom and Gary Doak.

Gary Doak? He’s got to be going on a hundred.

“I find them to be, quite frankly, very old,” Theiss said. “And they’re getting older all the time. I don’t think they’re going to be a problem for us.”

The Lewiston PAL All-Stars, on the other hand, includes patrol officers just old enough to buy liquor. The bout promises to be a game of fresh legs versus experience.

Also taking the ice for the pros are fan favorites like Kenny “The Rat” Linseman, who mixes finesse with an underhanded style of play. Linseman gets away with a lot. The former Bruins and their ringers always bring along their own referee, who dresses like a clown and tends to look the other way.

It’s all good.

Money raised from the event will go to local charities rather than into the pockets of millionaire owners of professional hockey franchises.

The game is mostly about entertainment and helping to support charities, but there is always a palpable air of competition. The pregame trash talk inevitably involves skaters from the police squad predicting victory over the pros.

“We usually like to get their confidence up by letting them score a few goals,” Theiss said.

Lots and lots of confidence-building goals. The figures on the Bruins side of the scoreboard typically ends up with double digits.

Parking is free at tonight’s matchup at the Colisee. Bruins will be signing autographs and police will give out free stuff, including T-shirts, pucks, balls and other items. Admission to the event is free, but donations are welcomed.

As for Gary Doak, earlier estimates of his age may have been overstated. He will turn 62 years old four days after tonight’s bout.