The Camden Hills varsity ice hockey team hit the road for its first two regular season contests and split the road campaign with a 1-1 record. 

On Friday, Dec. 7, the Windjammers fell 8-3 to Presque Isle before picking up a Saturday, Dec. 8 victory over Houlton/Hodgdon/Southern Aroostook/Katahdin by a score of 3-0. 

The Windjammers will be back on the ice Saturday, Dec. 15 with another road contest, this time against Gardiner at 7:40 p.m.

Camden Hills will play its first home contest Wednesday, Dec. 19 at the Midcoast Recreation Center in Rockport against John Bapst/Mount Desert Island/Bangor Christian/Penobscot Christian at 7 p.m.

In the Class B North standings, the Windjammers sit in second place with 0.5556 points. The top six teams of the nine team division qualify for the playoffs. 

Presque Isle 8, Camden Hills 3

Presque Isle scored late in the opening period when Connor Demerchant scored off a Colby Carlisle assist. 

In the second period, Presque Isle tallied four goals compared to a pair for Camden Hills.

Scoring in the second period for Presque Isle were Jonah Roy (Thomas Patenaude assist), Colby Bonville (unassisted), Gage Letorneau (Carlisle, Demerchant assist) and Patenaude (Jake Stevens assist).

Scoring for the Windjammers in the second period were Bryce Tyler (Quinn Brown assist) and Nicholas Tausek (Nate VanLonkhuyzen assist). 

In the third period, Presque Isle scored three goals compared to one for Camden Hills. 

Scoring the lone goal for the Windjammers in the third period was Hayden Thibeault off a Chalie Griebel assist. 

Scoring for Presque Isle in the third period were Patenaude (Stevens assist), Roy (Torey Levesque assist) and Patenaude (unassisted). 

In the goalie net for Presque Isle was Andre Daigle who had 22 saves on 25 shots. 

In the goalie net for Camden Hills was James Lynch who had 26 saves on 34 shots. 

“We just didn’t have the depth to take a stand for 45 minutes of play against a very good team while missing some important role players,” Camden Hills head coach John Magri said. “Nicholas Tausek and Hayden Thibeault were utilized all over the place filling in roles on multiple line combinations and provided gritty play and delivered for the team every time they hit the ice.”

Magri noted the Windjammers were short three players due to player disqualifications. Two Windjammers were out for fighting in the preseason game against Cony, while one was out for an incident during soccer season.

The new ice hockey coach for the Windjammers also noted Presque Isle was a “well-coached, fast and physical team” that had six preseason games under its belt, while the Windjammers had to make in-game adjustments to the game’s intensity. 

Camden Hills 3, Houlton/Hodgdon/Southern Aroostook/Katahdin 0

The Windjammers scored twice in the opening period with Griebel (Levi Guay assist) and Van Lonhuyzen (Quinn Brown assist) finding the back of the net. 

VanLonkhuyzen found the back of the net in the third period courtesy a Bryce Tyler and Michael Blackwell assist. 

Working the goalie net for Houlton/Hodgdon/Southern Aroostook/Katahadin was Elijah Matheson who had 32 saves on 35 shots. 

Jack Bernier was in the net for Camden Hills and recorded 27 saves on 27 shots. 

Magri credited Bernier’s “stellar” play in his first official varsity game for being a significant reason the Windjammers were able to shutout their opponent. 

“The combination of forwards VanLonkhuyzen and Wells is a force that Camden Hills is fortunate to have along with work ethic that defensemen Quinn Brown invests in the penalty kill,” Magri stated. “These were the key players that marched Camden Hills out of the second period unscathed.”

Reach the sports department at: sports@penbaypilot.com.