Kurtis Pelletier said he always wanted to feel what it was like to score the big goal in a big hockey game. 

Well, goals don’t get much bigger than the game-winner in double-overtime of a state championship game, and that’s what Pelletier did in the final game of his senior year. 

“I always wanted to feel what it’s like, and it just feels so awesome,” Pelletier said. “It’s just like amazing, I love it.” 

It wasn’t much of a surprise that Pelletier was the one to clinch the title for the Blue Devils in that fashion.

“He had the skill set that at any point in time, in a game, he had the ability to take control of the game offensively,” Lewiston coach Jamie Belleau said. “And in light of that skill, he contributed offensively for us on several occasions and at big times.” 

Pelletier led the Blue Devils in goals (17) and points (31, thanks to 14 assists) during the regular season, and in the three-game playoff run he added four more goals and two assists, including both of Lewiston’s goals in the state final against Scarborough.

That clutch performance and overall production is why Pelletier has been named the Sun Journal All-Region Boys Hockey Player of the year. 

“He’s an offensive threat for us,” Belleau said. “He’s one of the fastest players in the state, if not the fastest. And on top of that, he’s got good hands and he’s got the ability to put the puck in the net, and I think that skill set obviously came to fruition in the state game, scoring a couple of big goals. And it’s really a credit to him and a credit to his teammates, because he can’t do it by himself.” 

Pelletier said he knew that he had help from his fellow senior linemates. 

“Honestly, I couldn’t have done it without Ryan Pomerleau and Ben St. Laurent,” he said. 

“I love playing with Ben and Ryan,” he added. “They’re like brothers to me, and so are my other teammates. But I just feel like Ben, he keeps up with me, and then Pom, he’s so smart, his hockey IQ is so up there.

“I just love playing with them. Pom knows exactly where to pass it to. Like in the state game, for example, that perfect pass across the blue line past those two D, perfect pass (on the game-winning goal). His hockey IQ is incredible. Ben has a lot of speed and talent. Just a perfect line.” 

That line combined for 82 points during the regular season, and 13 more during the playoffs. 

Belleau called Pelletier a leader for the team offensively. 

“His production and consistency speak for itself,” Belleau said. “And he helped make his teammates around him better, and his teammates made him better, and that was a good recipe for success for us.” 

Pelletier, who was a semifinalist for Class A hockey’s Travis Roy Award, said his first goal in the state final gave his team hope. The second one gave his team something to hold onto forever: a 24th state title for Lewiston, to match Pelletier’s No. 24 jersey. 

“Certainly, Kurtis is someone that’s really left his mark on our hockey program the last couple, two, three years, and like all the rest of our seniors he’s going to be missed,” Belleau said. 

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2019-20 Sun Journal All-Region Boys Hockey Team