Teammates. Linemates. Friends. Brothers. 

In no particular order, all four of those words describe the four-year relationship that seniors Brad Berube and Caleb Labrie have developed as members of the St. Dominic Academy boys’ hockey team. 

It all began four years ago as freshmen when Berube’s father, Mike, a past employee at Ingersoll Ice Arena, would get his son ice time along with Labrie and Dillon Pratt. Those on-ice sessions helped develop a chemistry that’s led to results on the stat sheet. Berube and Labrie were 1-2 in scoring for the Saints this season. Berube’s 42 points (16 goals, 24 assists) are most on the team, followed by Labrie’s 26 (15 g, 11 a). Labrie has assisted on six of Berube’s 16 goals and Berube has assisted on five of Labrie’s 15 goals. 

“Freshman year we kind of knew each other,” Berube said. “We went to school together as really, really young kids. We’re pretty much a family. We’d do anything for each other. We’re brothers.” 

Their dedication on the ice as well as the countless hours they’ve compiled in the gym in an effort to get stronger and faster allowed them to see ice time during their freshmen campaigns. Berube played in the state championship game against Thornton Academy in 2012. Labrie, a third liner that season, was a healthy scratch in the title game. 

“It’s a brotherhood,” Labrie said. “Ever since freshman year we wanted to be at the top and just started working with his dad almost every day. We were either in the gym working out together or on the ice with his dad training or we’re here.” 

Three years later, through all the hard work on and off the ice, Berube and Labrie are semifinalists for the Travis Roy award, recognizing the top Class A senior in Maine high school hockey as it relates to both on-ice and off-ice performance. St. Dom’s is the only school to have multiple nominees on this year’s ballot. 

“It’s a great honor for both of them to get recognized for that,” St. Dom’s coach Steve Ouellette said. “It’s coaches throughout the league who feel they’re both dangerous players and should be recognized. To have two from one team is a special thing.” 

Berube has totaled 106 career points during the regular season and will play in his third state championship game Saturday. The two-year captain was named second-team all-state as a sophomore and first-team all-state as a junior. More importantly, Berube’s earned the respect of the 23 Saints he captains. 

“It feels awesome,” Berube said. “Four hard years of grinding through every thing, injuries and adversity and being nominated for the award is pretty awesome.” 

Labrie has a knack for putting up points. He finished the regular season second on the team in scoring for the third straight season. Labrie, an alternate captain this year, was named first-team all-state as a junior. 

“It was pretty sick because I wasn’t really expecting to get it, especially when you have a guy like Brad on our team,” Labrie said. “Hands down he deserves it, so I was pretty happy to get nominated because I wasn’t expecting it.” 

The different skills both bring to the table complement each other and make them even tougher to stop for opposing teams. Berube’s speed is second to none and his vision and play-making abilities make him dangerous any time he has the puck on his stick. Labrie’s size and strength makes him a force to be reckoned with and he seems to always show up in the biggest of moments. 

“Two different type players, two different approaches,” Ouellette said. “Obviously everyone’s a bit different but you’ve seen a lot of the maturity in both along the way. Brad’s had to become a leader quicker along the way. He leads in all kinds of different aspects, from on-ice play, the off-ice stuff. I think people respect him for his approach and his even keel and not really ever losing his head. Caleb’s been more that big-game moment guy who certainly gets up for those big events. His approach is a little different, but at the end of the day they do get some results.” 

Some of Labrie’s biggest moments have come against crosstown rival Lewiston. Labrie scored twice in the Saints’ first meeting with the Blue Devils this season, the second tying the game with 4:30 left in regulation. He torched Lewiston for three goals the second time around.

Labrie likes delivering in the big moments, but there’s something he enjoys more. 

“Winning,” Labrie said. “The winning’s pretty good. I love to win and being in a program like this where every year you know you’re going to be in the top three in the East, it’s an amazing feeling.” 

Berube and Labrie are as active off the ice as they are on it. They are both members of St. Dom’s key club, an organization that allows for students to volunteer at the school and around the community. They also serve on the yearbook committee. Both have volunteered their time working at various clinics around the area. 

The St. Dom’s duo are mere hours from donning the black and white sweaters one final time. They’ve played in roughly 80 high school games together. While the future is a mystery, the present is all about going out as champions. 

“This could be the last game we ever play,” Labrie said. “We don’t know what we’re doing next year, but I have no regrets. This team is my family and I’m glad we’re playing in the state game as my last game.”