PORTLAND (WGME) — Boston has the Bean Pot and now Maine has the Lobster Pot.
This January will be the first ever Lobster Pot, featuring Maine’s four Division III programs facing off in what promises to be an exciting annual event.
“I believe the hockey community in Maine, they’re going to make it big,” USM men’s hockey coach Matt Pinchevsky said.
On January 2-3, USM, Bowdoin, Colby and UNE will face off at the Family Ice Centre in Falmouth for the first annual Maine Lobster Pot.
“All four teams could essentially walk away with that trophy,” Bowdoin men’s hockey coach Ben Guite said.
Guite says the Lobster Pot isn’t just for the four teams involved, but for Maine’s entire hockey community.
“We’re trying to make this like a hockey day in Maine type of event where we really want to grow the game at the grassroot level and keep as many people involved as possible,” Guite said.
Longtime Colby hockey coach Blaise MacDonald coached in quite a few Bean Pots while he was on the bench at Boston University and says the Lobster Pot will be a huge score with the hockey fans of Maine.
“You will walk away so thoroughly impressed with the talent level, the quality of play,” MacDonald said. “I think it’ll be great for kids, then they’ll want to say, ‘Hey, maybe that could be me someday.’”
Pinchevsky says the Lobster Pot will be Maine’s perfect post-holiday celebration.
“When they start to see the opportunity to start off the new year as a hockey community annually, to share this amazing time, I just think people are going to get really excited and mark their calendars for years to come for this event,” Pinchevsky said.
The game times are still to be announced, however, we do know that Bowdoin will face USM, with Colby opening up against UNE.
Tickets will go on sale later this year. There will also be plenty of activities for the kids, including development sessions put on by USA Hockey.