AUGUSTA — It hasn’t been the smoothest of times for the Cony co-op hockey program over the last few seasons.

The Rams entered the 2023-24 campaign having gone a combined 23-45-2 the previous four seasons. The program hadn’t enjoyed a winning season since 2016-17, which also happened to be the last time it won a playoff game.

And then everything changed this winter.

“We were really hungry to turn this thing around,” said first-year Cony co-op coach Doug Dieuveuil, whose program also includes players from Hall-Dale, Monmouth, Richmond, Erskine and Maranacook. “We had the confidence we could do this.”

Indeed, it’s been quite a turnaround for the Rams (13-5-0), who enter the Class B North playoffs as the No. 2 seed. The Rams will host No. 7 Brewer/Lawrence/Skowhegan (6-10-2) in a regional quarterfinal game Tuesday at 6:20 p.m. at the Maine Ice Vault in Hallowell.

Elsewhere in the Class B North playoffs, top-seeded Messalonskee (14-4-0) will play No. 8 Old Town/Orono (5-12-1) on Tuesday at 5:30 p.m. at Kents Hill School.

“Within our locker room, we knew we could get the job done day in and day out,” Dieuveuil said. 

Cooper Clark leads the Cony co-op with 25 points (16 goals, 9 assists). Zack Waddell is second on the team in scoring with 22 points (13 goals, 9 assists) while Ben Platt follows with 20 points (12 goals, 8 assists).

Goalie Landon Foster has a 2.80 goals against average and a .892 save percentage for the Rams as well.

The Rams closed the regular season winning seven of their final eight games, including a 6-3 victory over Brewer/Lawrence/Skowhegan on Feb. 10.

“We are very excited to host a playoff game,” Dieuveuil said. “We are focused on the task at hand. We know it’s going to be a challenge, but the boys are fired up and ready to go. It’ll be a good one.””

The Eagles, who reached the Class B final last season, enter the playoffs having won eight of their last nine games.

Head coach Dennis Martin skates three lines and at least four defensemen each game.

“We have depth,” he said. “We’ve been playing well but at the same time you have to show up. The team that doesn’t is the team that goes home. The teams we face, they always show up to play us. We will have to be ready.”

Owen Kirk leads the Eagles in scoring with 47 points (20 goals, 27 assists), which is also third in B North. Tyler Hansen (30 points) and Garrett Card (29) also provide plenty of production up front as well. Behind the blue line, the Eagles skate two seniors in Grayson Podey and Bjorn Brickett, as well as sophomores Denny Martin and Liam McFaddan.

Podey leads all B North defensemen with 26 points. Messalonskee goalie Hunter Hallee has a 1,72 GAA and a .900 save percentage. 

“We have some guys who can score,” Martin said, whose team defeated Old Town/Orono 7-0 on Feb. 10. “We have some hard-working players, but we can’t look past anyone. Once you do that, you’re going home.”

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