Luke Pomerleau takes the ice Thursday during practice with the Lewiston boys hockey team at The Colisee in Lewiston. Daryn Slover/Sun Journal
Luke Pomerleau is creating offense this season from the blue line and at forward for the Lewiston boys hockey team.
“I kind of gotten switched around. I was playing forward a couple of games and this past game against South Portland, I went back to (defense),” Pomerleau said.
Lewiston coach Jamie King found out Pomerleau may be an asset as a forward when Pomerleau was playing with the Maine Gladiator 18U split-season team in the fall.
“He was a forward playing midgets, and he was a leading goal-scorer for them,” King said. “I talked to him and I think he likes to be on the (defensive) side to kind of see the game. Moving him up, we thought we would get more firepower. Lately, we moved him back on (defense) and he’s still scoring.”
Kings said what makes Pomerleau someone the Blue Devils can count on to score is his athletic ability and the strength he has to get a powerful shot off.
While the move to the forward position has worked, King said with three games remaining in the regular season, Pomerleau is better served on the blue line.
“Looking at the games played, he’s been stronger back there, but again, we are losing up front on the firepower,” King said. “Now having him back there (Tuesday) night, keeping goals out is going help us a lot more too.”
Luke Pomerleau practices Thursday with the Lewiston boys hockey team at The Colisee in Lewiston. Daryn Slover/Sun Journal
The senior has seven goals and two assists in 13 games so far. Two of those tallies were walk-off goals.
Both overtime goals came on the road. The first one came on Dec. 15 in a 3-2 win over South Portland/Waynflete/Freeport and the second tally came in a 1-0 victory over Bangor nearly a month later, on Jan. 11.
“I love to contribute to the team like that,” Pomerleau said. “I have two overtime-winning goals, which feels awesome to get because overtime doesn’t happen a lot.”
KINGS CONTINUE TO ROLL
The Poland/Leavitt/Oak Hill/Gray-New Gloucester Kings have won seven of their past eight games.
On Wednesday, the Kings (8-6), the fourth-ranked team in the Class B South Heal points standings, took down Yarmouth/Cheverus, the third-ranked team.
Kings coach Jason Rouleau said the 5-2 victory is a confidence builder.
“Cheverus/Yarmouth, Cape Elizabeth, and obviously Brunswick, they are all battling for that top,” Rouleau said. “We had to prove to ourselves that we had the ability to beat one of those top teams and that’s what we did Wednesday.”
The Kings have another Class B state championship contender next on the schedule, as they host Cape Elizebeth on Saturday at Norway Savings Bank Arena at 7:40 p.m.
Rouleau’s message throughout the season has been getting players in the right mindset.
“He has emphasized mental toughness a lot,” forward Hunter Bussiere said. “That really led to our success so far. We all have come together as a group and we are starting to win some games. Morale is really high in the room and we are excited to get into the playoffs.”
The Capers, who knocked out the Kings in last year’s playoffs, are the top team in Class B South after defeating Lewiston on Wednesday, 3-1. Poland/Leavitt/Oak Hill/Gray-New Gloucester isn’t dwelling on last year’s season-ending loss.
“We don’t try to look at the past; we try to look at the future,” Bussiere said. “It’s going to be a big game, with the Leavitt football rivalry with them.”
Rouleau said with four games remaining on the Kings’ schedule, they are treating each mathcup like they are postseason contests.
“For us, it’s a playoff atmosphere here on out through the rest of the season, all the way to the state championship game,” Rouleau said.
SAINTS KEEP PLAYOFF HOPES ALIVE
St. Dominic Academy is on the Class A playoff bubble with two games to play in the regular season.
Nine teams make the playoffs this year, with the No. 8 and No. 9 teams playing a play-in game for the right to play in the quarterfinals. The Saints are currently the last team in.
Thursday, the Saints helped their case with a 6-3 victory over Old Town/Orono. St. Dom’s coach Dan D’Auteuil knew the Saints had to win that game to keep their playoff chances alive.
“We are right on the edge,” D’Auteuil said. “We only get two games left and we have to win one of the next two for sure to have a chance to be in. We are hoping to win both. … This was a big win (Thursday) night, because without that victory, I think we are done.”
Ben Dumais led the Saints in the win over the Black Bears with two goals and two assists. St. Dom’s also got production throughout the lineup in the win.
“Ridge Dionne had a pretty good game; he had his first regular-season goal,” D’Auteuil said. “He was rushing the puck and playing well. Ben Dumais had a couple of goals, Miles (Frenette) had some assists and a goal. They all kind of had contributions from those two lines. Curtis (Wheeler) had a great goal — a nice pass from Timmy (Ouellette).”
The road to the playoffs isn’t easy for St. Dom’s. The Saints have the defending Class A state champion Scarborough this coming Wednesday and the top team in Class A, Falmouth, on Feb. 22.
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