One team scores a lot of goals. The other gives up hardly any.
Each has one of the best players in the state at their respective positions.
That’s what will be featured at the Class B North boys hockey championship game at 6 p.m. Wednesday at the University of Maine’s Alfond Arena when third seed Messaslonskee of Oakland, 15-5, takes on top seed John Bapst-Hermon, 18-1-1.
John Bapst has won seven in a row and is unbeaten in 12 (11-0-1).
Messalonskee enters the game scoring 5.6 goals per game while John Bapst has given up less than one per game, .80 to be exact.
Messalonskee senior left wing Owen Kirk has scored 43 goals and assisted on 23 more for 66 points. John Bapst senior defenseman Nick Needham has produced 13 goals and 26 assists for 39 points.
And both have had productive postseasons so far. Kirk has six goals and an assist in Messalonskee’s playoff wins over Camden Hills and Cony’s eight-school cooperative team. Needham had two goals and four assists in victories over Houlton-Hodgdon-Katahdin and Hampden Academy-Nokomis.
“Owen is so strong on the puck,” Messaslonskee coach Dennis Martin said. “He has a quick release on his shot and a knack for the net.”
“He is a player everyone knows,” John Bapst coach Devin Fitzpatrick said about Kirk, adding that you always have to keep an eye on the Messalonskee senior.
Fitzpatrick said Needham has an terrific hockey IQ and is an “incredible skater” and a great leader.
“He logs 40 minutes a game and controls the play out there,” Martin said about Needham, noting that you have to pay special attention to him when he’s out there.
John Bapst won the only meeting between the two, 3-1, but Kirk was sidelined due to an infection, according to Martin.
“Bapst plays great defense,” Martin said. “They’re very solid. They don’t give up a lot of shots. They’re a very good hockey team.
“We have to get pressure on them and get more scoring chances. We had only 18 shots on goal against them last time,” Martin pointed out.
Both coaches expect a very competitive hockey game.
Messalonskee last won the B North title in 2023 before losing to Cape Elizabeth in the state championship game 4-3.
John Bapst has never won a regional championship and last appeared in a regional final in 2013, losing to Messalonskee 7-2.
“It’ll be a close, fast-paced, back-and-forth game,” Fitzpatrick predicted.
Both teams have plenty of talented players who complement Needham and Kirk.
For John Bapst, swift-skating senior center Will Bourgeois has 24 goals and 15 assists. He is flanked by junior left wing Cooper Lewis (8 & 18) and sophomore right wing Nate Marryatt (8 & 9) on the top line.
Nate’s older brother, senior left winger Owen Marryatt, has 13 goals and seven assists.
Sophomore Owen Hart (7 & 12) and senior Silas Comstock (5 & 8) have been point-producers from the blue line along with Needham.
Senior Trenton Zetes and freshman Cam Leighton shared the goaltending during the regular season, but Leighton has played both playoff games and shut out Houlton-Hodgdon-Katahdin and Hampden Academy, stopping all 26 shots he faced.
Zetes had an 8-1 record, an 0.67 goals-against average and a .954 save percentage during the regular season and Leighton was 8-0-1, 1.11, .940.
“Both have been tremendous. We’re lucky to have them,” said Fitzpatrick, who as of Monday hadn’t decided who will start on Wednesday.
For Messalonskee, Kirk is on a high-powered line centered by junior Tatum Doucette (14 & 28) and with junior Christian Salvadori (16 & 32) on the right side.
Kirk is Messsalonskee’s only senior.
Junior winger Alex Beckwith has produced 15 and 14 on the second line.
Junior Denny Martin (5 & 13) headlines a youthful defense corps but he has missed the last three weeks with a fractured elbow. He could possibly return on Wednesday but it is very much up in air according to Dennis Martin, his coach and dad.
Sophomore Nathan Kirk, Owen’s brother, has played well in goal, according to coach Martin.
He had a 12-4 record, a 2.69 goals-against average and an .875 save percentage during the regular season and has allowed three goals while making 36 saves in the two playoff victories.
