Boys' Ice Hockey

Beginning with the 2008-2009 season, the Bobcats will compete in Division I of the New England Preparatory School Athletic Council (NEPSAC). The Brewster boys have achieved significant success in the Division 2 ranks over the past 10 years, with four playoff appearances, a finalist appearance, numerous tournament wins, and more than 20 wins in two seasons. Brewster’s record against Division 1 opponents has been very favorable as well, with a .750 winning percentage this past season.

Brewster graduates have gone on to play in the following college hockey programs: Bowdoin College, Elmira College, Trinity College, Babson College, Southern Maine University, Salem State College, Assumption College, Salve Regina University, New England College, Manhattanville College, St. Michael's College, Southern New Hampshire University, Sacred Heart University, and Wentworth Institute.

When the players arrive in the fall, they begin a rigorous strength and conditioning program under the direction of Zach Apgar utilizing all the facilities of the new, multimillion dollar Smith Center for Athletics and Wellness. The program emphasizes quickness, speed, and power; it is not simply a "weightlifting program." Hockey-specific weightlifting is used, but only to complement the plyometrics, quickness ladders, inline skating, and stretching that make up the whole program. Individual goals are set and fitness tests measure progress.

2007-2008 Season Summary

Overall record 10-8-3
Captain: Chris Melanson
Assistant Captains: Robert Koger, Justin Ingram
Head Coach: Tedd Parker
Assistant Coach: Craig Churchill

The Brewster boys’ varsity hockey team had eleven new faces for the 2007-08 campaign. Postgraduate TJ O’Malley of Dedham, Massachusetts, was the lone PG who logged a lot of playing time. PG Carter Bender was on the roster, however suffered a season ending arm injury in the fall. The new junior players were Louis Caron, Stefan Lutzenkirchen, Guillaume Cyr, Paul Sauer, Josh Hamlin, Victor Nilsson, and Philip Kagstedt. New sophomores were Mike DiPalma, Breck Merritt, and Riley Merritt. The team was made up of players from four different countries (Canada, Sweden, USA, Ukraine) and five different states (Florida, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania).

The team returned a number of key players on offense and defense. Offensively key returning players were seniors Igor Yegorychev and assistant captain Robert Koger. Defensively the team returned significant depth including senior captain Chris Melanson, senior Greg Healy, senior Alex Kinkopf, juniors Justin Ingram and Preston Kaye. Goaltending duties were split between returning sophomore Anthony Jacaruso and newcomer Philip Kagstedt of Sweden.

The season started out strong with victories over Proctor Academy, Hoosac School, Brunswick School, and Berwick Academy. Three of those wins led to the championship of the Charlie Holt Tournament hosted by Berwick Academy. Brewster carried the momentum from the victory at the Charlie Holt Tournament into the Barber Tournament the following weekend. Brewster defeated Middlesex 7-2 in the biggest margin of victory of the year. Unfortunately, Brewster suffered two consecutive losses to Vermont Academy and Hebron Academy at the Barber Tournament to go into the holiday break 5-3-1.

The new year opened with a trip to Kent’s Hill on a unseasonably warm January day. The ice sheet was extremely slow due to the warm weather and very little offense was generated by either team. Philip Kagstedt played well for Brewster keeping us in the game, however, our offense could not get anything past the Kent's Hill keeper. Brewster got back on track with ties against Vermont Academy and Hebron Academy and finally savored a victory on the road against Kimball Union Academy.

With eight games remaining in the season and a playoff spot well within reach, Brewster lost to Pingree School in overtime then went on to defeat Hoosac, Proctor, and Berwick positioning itself for a berth into the NEPSAC tournament. New Hampton was the next opponent for the Bobcats, but they defeated Brewster 4-1.

Down but not out, Brewster rallied back from a 3-1 deficit to defeat Vermont Academy 4-3 to keep its playoff hopes alive. Our final game of the season against New Hampton proved to be a must win situation. If we won the game, we were in the playoffs. Brewster played very well and had many scoring opportunities but could not capitalize on several of them. New Hampton scored several power play goals in the third period and added an empty net goal to defeat the Bobcats 5-2.

The season had a lot of positive aspects and contributions from many players. Stefan Lutzenkirchen led the team in scoring with 19 points. Sophomore Breck Merritt was second in scoring with 17 points followed by Guillaume Cyr with 16. Goaltending was solid as Philip Kagstedt finished second in all of Division II goalies with a save percentage of .932 and Anthony Jacaruso finished the year at .918.

Chris Melanson finished off a successful four-year career at Brewster Academy. He was a solid contributor and leader on and off the ice. As captain, Chris set the tone for the team and was key in anchoring the defensive corps.

Thanks to all the seniors and PGs. Good Luck with your future endeavors.

The Coach

T.J. Palmer
Head Coach

T.J. Palmer coached the ice hockey team at the Rectory School in Pomfret, Connecticut, for three years before joining the faculty of Brewster Academy in fall 1987. It was that first winter of 1987-1988 that coach Palmer helped re-establish the Brewster boys' hockey program after the program’s 10-year absence. Palmer served as the assistant coach from 1987-1993 and then as head coach from 1997-2004. He also played a role in starting the highly successful girls’ ice hockey program, as one of his first goaltending recruits returned to the Academy to coach the boys and then founded the girls’ program in his second year.

As head coach, Palmer doubled the number of games on the schedule and recruited players from as far north as Prince Edward Island and as far south as Houston. In his second season as head coach, Brewster went 22-6-1 on the season, and in his third season the team made it to the finals of the 2000 NEPSAC tournament. The team also earned tournament berths in 2002 and 2004 under Palmer.

Tournament championships include the Lawrence-Groton, Brooks-Pingree, and Stanstead College Invitational. Palmer created the local “Wolfeboro Cup,” in which Brewster held on to the trophy for six straight years.

He is a member of the Massachusetts State Coaches Association and the USA Hockey Coaching Program. Palmer was the starting goaltender at Northwood School in Lake Placid, New York, in 1979-1980. He was one of the few lucky ones who witnessed America’s “Miracle on Ice” at the Olympics that February, celebrating on the ice after the final buzzer sounded with the victory over Finland. Palmer also played two years at Colby College, graduating in 1984.

Players for Palmer have gone on to play for Babson College, Bowdoin College, Quinnipiac University, Hobart and Williams Smith College, the University of Southern Maine, Manhattanville College, Elmira College, New England College, Assumption College, American International College, Saint Michael’s College, Salem State College, as well as junior hockey teams and the professional Michigan Pro League and the East Coast League.

Craig Churchill
Assistant Coach

Craig Churchill, who teaches history on team Cooper, is Coach Palmer's assistant coach. Churchill played hockey at Proctor Academy as well as club hockey at the University of New Hampshire, which competes in ACHA Division II. He also coached youth hockey in Durham, New Hampshire, at the Pee Wee and Bantam levels, worked at the Charlie Holt Hockey Camp, and coached varsity hockey for two years at Colorado Academy in Denver. Churchill is also the coach of the boys' junior varsity lacrosse team. He lives off campus with his wife, Jen, and their baby son.