In Wednesday’s highly anticipated boys hockey game between Edward Little and Thornton Academy, the goaltending match wasn’t between the expected goalies of Gage Ducharme for the Red Eddies and Porter Krause of the Golden Trojans, after both played in their team’s opening game.

Edward Little junior Camren Dufour and Thornton sophomore Drew Johnson instead got the start for their respective teams. Dufour only made two starts as a sophomore and Johnson didn’t see any varsity action last season.

Both coaches wanted to see what their youngsters had as Thornton Academy defeated Edward Little 5-1 in a rematch of last year’s Class A semifinal, which the Golden Trojans won 2-1.

“I thought (Dufour) did pretty good in practice and I wanted to give him an opportunity and see what he could do,” Edward Little coach Norm Gagne said. “He has been looking good and played in a couple of the preseason games, and he was good.”

Thornton Academy coach Jamie Gagnon doesn’t see a talent drop-off at the goaltender position between the two teams or in Class A as a whole.

“Both kids on both teams are capable of playing at the varsity level and I think most teams in this league have two guys that can go,” Gagnon said. “Drew and Porter, for us, are two different styles, so they bring different games to the table. They are both incredibly supportive of each other. Drew played a good game, stayed sound and quiet in the net, played his angles well, and made the big saves when we needed him to.”

Gagnon said Krause, a senior transfer from Buxton who played for Windham/Westbrook/Bonny Eagle/Sacopee Valley last season, is more active in the crease.

Ducharme played in 19 games in 2021-22 but Gagne said there will be more competition between Dufour and Ducharme this season.

“I want to use Camren when I can,” Gagne said. “I have always said you earn your ice time, and he has certainly worked hard and he deserves to play. I tried to get him in there and I thought this would be a good game to see how he did. Having me play him against weaker teams isn’t going to make him better.”

Gagne stated Ducharme is still the No. 1 goalie but if something happens to him during the season, Gagne wanted to make sure Dufour had a start against a quality opponent.

ST. DOM’S OFFENSE IS OFF TO A HOT START

The St. Dominic Academy Saints boys hockey team is finding the back of the net during the first week of the regular season. Through two games, St. Dom’s has scored 12 goals. Last season, the Saints only scored 40 goals the entire year.

After a 3-2 loss in the season opener to Thornton Academy, the Saints defeated Mt. Ararat/Lisbon/Morse/Hyde 10-2 on Wednesday.

The top line did a lot of damage against the Eagles.

“They played well, especially the top line: Miles (Frenette), Timmy (Ouellette) and Ben Dumais,” St. Dom’s coach Dan D’Autueil said. “Ben had four goals, Miles actually got seven assists, and Timmy had two goals and three assists. Even our second line, Erik Jones had a hat trick. We had two first-time hat tricks, which was pretty cool.”

Dumais is adjusting well to high school hockey.

“The big addition is Ben Dumais. He’s playing really well as a freshman and he’s a goal-scorer, something we didn’t have last year,” D’Autueil said. “Timmy Ouellette has made a big jump this year, taking over a leadership role and working hard.”

After taking its lumps in a 1-19 campaign in 2021-22, St. Dom’s is ready for a bounce-back year.

“They gained more confidence,” D’Auteuil said. “They play more now, and they say, ‘Hey, I am good as these guys.’ They have a really good attitude. You have locker rooms that are OK together and you have locker rooms that are bad, but in this locker room, they are having a good time.”

LOCAL TIES ON TEAM USA ROSTERS

This week, Team USA released its men’s and women’s hockey rosters for the World University Games in Lake Placid, New York, from Jan. 12-22.

Highlighting the women’s team — which has current college and recently graduated players — is Lewiston native and former Hebron Academy standout Eliza Beaudin, who graduated from Elmira College in 2022. Beaudin had an outstanding collegiate career, with 58 goals and 61 assists in 90 career games. She helped Elmira to an NCAA Division III Frozen Four appearance in 2022.

Former University of Maine player Madeline Giordano is also on the roster. She totaled 10 goals and 15 assists in 137 games with the Black Bears.

On the men’s team — comprised of current NCAA Division III players — is former Maine Nordiques defensemen Cooper Swift, University of New England defenseman Alex Sheehy and former University of Maine forward Jonny Mulera.

Swift, a sophomore at Hobart College, has compiled a goal and six assists in 11 games this season. As a freshman, he dished out 13 assists in 17 games played. He spent one season with the Maine Nordiques in 2019-20, recording four goals and 20 assists in 49 games.

Sheehy has put up a goal and nine assists in 10 games with the Nor’Easters. Mulera, who spent 2020-21 and 2021-22 with the Black Bears and is now at Salve Regina, has tallied three goals and eight assists in eight games.

FROM TWIN CITY TO TEAM SWEDEN

Former Twin City Thunder forward Alexander Ray will be on Team Sweden’s roster for the World University Games. Ray is currently a sophomore at King’s College, a Division III school in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. He has scored two goals in nine games. With the Thunder in 2020-21, he totaled three goals and two assists in nine combined games between the NCDC and Premier teams.

RICKY DAVIS COMMITS TO BOWDOIN

Twin City Thunder forward Ricky Davis has committed to Bowdoin College for next season.

Davis, 20, is the Thunder’s second-leading scorer, with 11 goals and nine assists in 25 games.

“Richard has been great since he has been here,” Twin City Thunder coach Dan Hodge said. “He has been a good leader as a 2002 (birth year), and we are fortunate to have him. I am glad he will be at Bowdoin; I think it’s a good fit for him.”

Davis has been looking at NESCAC schools for the past three or four years, but the new coaching staff of head coach Ben Guite and assistant coach Sean Walsh drew him to Bowdoin.

“The decision came down to the coaching staff with coach Guite and Coach Walsh over there,” Davis said. “The facilities are great, and I wanted the best education I could get.”

FORMER TWIN CITY DRAFT PICK NAMED TO FINLAND WORLD JR. ROSTER

Kalle Ervasti, a 2019 Twin City Thunder Futures Draft pick, will compete for Finland at the International Ice Hockey Federation’s World Junior Championship from Dec. 25-Jan. 5 in Moncton, New Brunswick, and Halifax, Nova Scotia.

Ervasti, 19, was selected by the Thunder out of the South Florida Hockey Academy, but went to Finland to join the Lukko organization for the 2019-20 season and is currently with its pro team.

FORMER THUNDER PICK LOSES SPOT

Ryan Leonard, a Twin City Thunder 2020 Futures Draft pick, was cut from Team USA World Junior training camp. The 17-year-old Boston College commit plays for the US National Team Development Program U18 team. He has potted 20 goals and added 14 assists in 24 games this season. He’s a projected first-round pick in the 2023 NHL Draft.

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