Windham’s Aiden Hartwell and 18U Maine Moose hockey celebrate state title

Windham High senior Aiden Hartwell holds the 18U Maine
Moose state championship banner alongside sister Libby
Hartwell after the Maine Moose won the best of three games
state championship series against the Maine Junior Black Bears
on Sunday, Nov. 7 at the Camden National Bank Ice Vault in
Hallowell. PHOTO BY KIM HARTWELL 

By Matt Pascarella

The Maine Moose ice hockey team is a program geared toward giving its athletes the opportunity to play hockey at a high level with athletes from all around the state.

The Tier 2 18U Maine Moose team, after an incredible season kept their winning streak going and made it to the state championship with Windham High senior Aiden Hartwell a key player on that squad.

The Moose beat the Maine Junior Black Bears two games to none in a best of three-game series played Saturday, Nov. 6 and Sunday, Nov. 7 at Camden National Bank Ice Vault in Hallowell.

Organizers say that the Moose Hockey program wants to give its athletes the opportunity to develop as hockey players and people and that was evident during the team’s success leading up to the title game.

This 18U Maine Moose Hockey team was the No. 1 seed going into the playoffs after they finished their regular season with a record of 20-1-1.

“This group had lots of talent,” said 18U Maine Moose Hockey coach Jeff Ross. “We had great balance in all the lines. With a group like this that comes from different areas and school, sometimes they don't gel very well, but this group was able to come together very quickly and fill any roll that was needed on the team.”  

This was Hartwell’s first year playing on the Maine Moose team. He said playing for them helped him develop his skills, but most importantly taught him how to win in big situations.

“With us being the best team in the league we always had a target on our back,” said Hartwell. “Teams were coming for us knowing that we were the best team; they tried their best to beat us.”

When the 18U Maine Moose Hockey team entered the round robin tournament on Friday Oct. 29 they beat the Maine Junior Black Bears 5-3. After the Moose tied with Casco on Sunday, Oct. 31, they won their game against the Maine Evolution, 4-1, the same day. Maine Moose was ranked as the No. 1 seed as they entered the semifinals.

“Playing for the Maine Moose was really great,” said Gardiner senior Chase Kelley. “We had a really high work ethic as a team on and off the ice ... one of our biggest contributions to our successful season was our coaching, they know the game inside and out and that goes a long way.”

While the team had a slower start in the round robin tourney, once they made it to the semifinals against the No. 4 seed Gladiators, this 18U team had found their game and took advantage of some costly Gladiator penalties, ousting them with a 5-1 win which advanced Maine Moose to the state championship.

In the championship series, which was a best-of-three games event, Game One pitted the Moose against the Maine Junior Black Bears again. With four minutes remaining in the game and the score was tied at 2-2, the Maine Moose came back to win 5-2.

On Sunday, Nov. 7, the Maine Moose shut out the Bears 5-0 to become state champions.

This will be Hartwell’s first time playing for a squad headed to the National Tournament, and he said he is excited to see what the competition is like.

Ross said strong team play and great talent that works together is what led to the 18U team winning the state championship. 

“To win the state championship in my first year with the Moose means a lot to me,” said Hartwell. “To go in with a bunch of new faces and kids I haven't played with before helped me improve as a player.”

The Maine Moose will travel to California in April for the National Championship Tournament. <