LEWISTON – As hockey players from Lewiston High School gathered around coach Tim Smith at center ice Thursday at practice, the Colisee fell silent.
“There’s no respect out there for us,” Smith told the team. “I listened to the radio this morning and we were still fourth. Fourth! Behind Cheverus, behind St. Dom’s, which is dead in this tournament, and behind Cape Elizabeth. They think they’re going to roll right over us. To them, playing St. Dom’s was the state championship game. This reminds me a lot of 2002.”
Both Lewiston and Cheverus, who meet Tuesday for the state championship, remember what 2002 was like. For Cheverus, it’s an added incentive. For Lewiston, it’s a war cry for respect, and proof that odds-makers can be wrong.
“Our biggest thing is that we need to have confidence in ourselves and our abilities,” said Smith. “We realize that when we play to our potential, we can skate with anybody. We have a chance.”
In 2002, it took a triple-overtime goal from a cherry-picking Mario Villani to give Lewiston its 20th state championship, and it may take that much again.
“They have a great team, they put up a lot of numbers, and they had only one regular-season loss this year, so, you know, they came out as the No. 1 team in the West,” said Smith. “We’re ready to go against anybody.”
“Anybody” will include Sam Johnson, Alex Arthur, Christian Scarpelli, Bryan Lavoie, Adam Horgan, Geno DiMillo, Joe Sullivan, Mason St. Hilaire and any of Cheverus’ other All-Star-caliber players.
The key for the Stags, though, may be St. Hilaire.
“They’re strong in all three aspects of the game,” said Smith. “Mason St. Hilaire is a great goaltender and his backup, (John) Spring’s a great goaltender, and they have the defense and the forwards. They put up high numbers this year.”
Still, St. Hilaire has given up 11 goals in his last two starts, those coming mostly on shots from within five feet. The defense will have to contain Lewiston’s quickness, and the forwards will have to penetrate a solid Lewiston defensive unit.
“All four defensemen had a great run this week, and offensively each line had a goal scored with them on the ice,” said Smith. “Anytime you can get that happening, you are in good shape.”
Lewiston’s task won’t be easy. Six different players scored goals for Cheverus in the regional final, and most of their goals came from within five feet or on rebounds.
Lewiston has two solid goaltenders to choose from in Nick Langlais and Brian Nason.
“I’ve been waiting for this my whole life, basically,” said Langlais. “As a freshman, I saw Matt Roy do it and I was going crazy in the stands just watching.”
Nason, meanwhile, admitted that the suspense “is killing (him).”
For the rest of the world, it’s wait and see. It may be No. 21 for the Blue Devils, or it may be No. 1 for the Stags.
“We aren’t satisfied just to be in this game,” said Smith. “We want to win another game and put another number on the banner.”
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