Behind a hat trick from Mike Holgerson, Winthrop claims the Division 4 boys' hockey state title
'I never thought a hat trick in TD Garden would happen,' said Holgersen. 'It's not on me, it's on my team around me that helped me get to this point.'
Dedham senior captain Brain Dunne appeared to break the ice 1:09 into the second period on a breakaway attempt. Initially ruled a goal, the
Advertisement
Nineteen seconds later, Winthrop struck.
Senior captain Phil Boncore wheeled down the left side of the ice, connecting with a wide-open Holgersen on the back post for a tap-in.
Get Starting Point
A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday.
Enter Email
Sign Up
Michael Holgerson puts Winthrop ahead 1-0 on a far post feed from Philip Boncore 1:28 into 2nd period.
— Brendan Kurie (@BrendanKurie)
'We knew that we had to take advantage of that,' said Boncore, who finished the season with 28 points.
Holgersen made it 2-0 with 2:45 remaining, hammering home a feed in the slot from sophomore Joe Pumphret (32 points) on the power play.
Michael Holgersen's second tally of the day comes on the power play with 2:45 left in game and puts Winthrop ahead, 2-0. Assists from Paul Ferrara and Joe Pumphret.
— Brendan Kurie (@BrendanKurie)
With 2:08 left, Holgersen's empty netter – his 21st goal of the season – etched his name into the state history books as the 50th boys' hockey player to record a hat trick in the state final.
Holgersen, already a hero in the one-square mile oceanside town, signs autographs after games. Hockey is a way of life, with youth players and a fervent student section packing Larsen Rink on a regular basis.
'It feels so good,' said Donahue. 'You have random kids saying how they're going to the game and high-fiving you. It just pumps you up, makes you play better.'
Donahue dazzled, with his highlight being a left-shoulder stop on a rocket off the stick of Dedham senior Tim Holton with 4:06 left to preserve a one-goal advantage for Winthrop (16-6-2).
'Now I know what the guys are like when they hold the Stanley Cup, after they have no idea what to say,' said Winthrop coach Dale Dunbar, in his 19th season. 'I have no idea what to say. I'm so emotional.'
Advertisement
Dedham (15-9-0) struggled to break Winthrop's one-man trap in the neutral zone. But getting to the Garden for the first time in program history has invigorated Dedham, led by second-year coach Dan Panciocco, a 1976 Dedham grad.
'The eight seniors have been the heart of this team all year,' said Panciocco. 'They've carried us all year. Today they tried their hardest, we just couldn't generate enough. Without them, we wouldn't be here.'
Photos from the game
The Winthrop boys' hockey team celebrates with its fans after winning the Division 4 state championship.
Brett Phelps for The Boston Globe
From left, Winthrop's Aiden Survilas, Dedham's Cam Keane, Dedham's Tim Holton, and Winthrop's Philip Boncore chase a loose puck.
Brett Phelps for The Boston Globe
Winthrop won its first state title since 1976.
Brett Phelps for The Boston Globe
Dedham's Tim Holton (top) battled Winthrop's Philip Boncore along the boards.
Brett Phelps for The Boston Globe
Winthrop was 16-6-2 this season.
Brett Phelps for The Boston Globe
Winthrop's Michael Holgersen (left) took on Dedham's Ben Bogie (top) and Tim Holton (bottom).
Brett Phelps for The Boston Globe
Cam Kerry can be reached at
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
NBC Sports
an hour ago
- NBC Sports
Panthers endure uncharacteristic playoff collapse in losing Game 1 of Stanley Cup Final to Oilers
For nearly three full years under coach Paul Maurice, the defending Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers were unbeatable in the playoffs when holding a lead through either of the first two periods. Until Wednesday night. After a 4-3 overtime loss to Edmonton in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final, the Panthers blamed themselves for playing too conservatively in allowing the Oilers to score three straight goals as Florida squandered a 3-2 advantage entering the third. 'Just not let up. Don't sit back,' said Sam Bennett, who scored twice — including his franchise-record 12th goal of this postseason. 'We've been really good all year at not sitting back with the lead, and for whatever reason we sat back tonight.' It was an uncharacteristic collapse for a Florida team that had won 31 consecutive playoff games under Maurice when holding the lead at an intermission break. Worse yet, the Panthers actually blew a two-goal lead in a game Leon Draisaitl sealed by converting Connor McDavid's centering pass 19:29 into overtime. The winning goal came on a power play, 72 seconds after Tomas Nosek was penalized for delay of game after lifting the puck over the glass. Maurice was more concerned with how the Panthers performed well before Nosek went into the penalty box. Florida was outshot 24-8 from the beginning of the third period on. 'I think we had some real good pressure. They get it back and then there were some plays we didn't compete,' Maurice said. 'I thought we were a little safe with the puck.' Florida dropped to 8-3 on the road this postseason and trails a series for the first time since losing the first two games of its second-round meeting with Toronto, which the Panthers rallied to win in Game 7. Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Final is in Edmonton. As for Nosek's penalty, Maurice called it a tough break, and made a point to remind the player how valuable he was in helping the Panthers rally against Toronto. Nosek didn't make his playoff debut until Game 3 of the Maple Leafs series. 'That line came in and changed everything for us. We're not here without Tomas Nosek,' Maurice said. 'He's got lots of people sitting at his table and reminding him how good he's been.' The question for the Panthers is how they appeared to wear down as the game progressed in a rematch of last year's final, which Florida won in seven games. Just when it appeared Florida had grabbed the momentum by building a 3-1 lead on Bennett's second goal two minutes into the second period, Edmonton responded with Viktor Arvidsson's goal 1:17 later. And the Panthers looked gassed in the third when Mattias Ekholm converted McDavid's centering pass to tie the score at the 6:33 mark. The 46 shots allowed were the most permitted by Florida in the playoffs since giving up 65 in a 3-2 win over Carolina that took four overtimes in Game 1 of the 2023 Eastern Conference final. And they came a game after the Panthers allowed 52 shots in Game 5 of a second-round series-clinching 3-2 OT win over Toronto. Draisaitl's power-play goal was just the eighth allowed by Florida in 62 chances this postseason. Maurice remained calm in assessing how evenly matched the teams are in a series he believes has a chance to go the distance. 'It has the potential to be just a spectacular seven-gamer,' Maurice said. 'It was honest, it was hard, it was fast and it was tight. It was an overtime game.'
NBC Sports
an hour ago
- NBC Sports
Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl put Oilers on their backs to beat Panthers and win Stanley Cup Final Game 1
EDMONTON, Alberta — When the Edmonton Oilers needed a spark to open the Stanley Cup Final, Leon Draisaitl scored just more than a minute in. When they needed the tying goal after falling behind to the defending champion Florida Panthers, Connor McDavid delivered the perfect pass. And when Game 1 was threatening to drag into a second overtime, McDavid found Draisaitl for the winner. Draisaitl and McDavid took over when it mattered most, delivering a series-opening 4-3 victory that put them three wins from the championship they've been working toward for a decade. 'They don't take many nights off, that's for sure,' teammate Brett Kulak said. 'They usually are our top guys every single night, and the bigger the stage the better they get.' Playing through pain, Draisaitl did not score a goal in the final last year, when Edmonton lost the first three games, got back even and dropped a heartbreaker in Game 7 to fall short. Healthier now than during that run, he needed only 66 seconds to get on the board. 'There's maybe nobody better,' McDavid said. An MVP finalist from a dominant regular season, Draisaitl was one of the best players on the ice all game and finished it with a power-play goal 19:29 into OT. 'He's a top-three player in the world,' Oilers defenseman Mattias Ekholm said. 'He just looks very confident, very comfortable and he's doing his thing.' So was McDavid, who fed Ekholm for the equalizer with 13:27 left in regulation. McDavid skated the puck through the zone and made everything happen late in overtime, too, with Draisaitl on the receiving end of a pass and thankful McDavid and everyone else made it easier for him to hammer a shot home. 'It's a special feeling,' Draisaitl said. 'It's great for right now but we've got to look ahead and get ready for Game 2.' Edmonton forward Kasperi Kapanen, who nearly scored a few minutes earlier when he got in all alone, was almost speechless trying to explain what it's like watching McDavid and Draisaitl summon more playoff magic. 'I don't really have words for you guys,' Kapanen said. 'These guys are generational talents and future Hall of Famers, for sure.' McDavid has taken home the Hart Trophy three times, led the NHL in scoring five times and last year won the Conn Smythe as playoff MVP in a losing effort. Draisaitl has also won the Hart, the Art Ross for most points and the Rocket Richard for the most goals. What they have not won together is the Stanley Cup, the trophy that was brought out onto a table on the ice just before puck drop. Thanks to McDavid and Draisaitl, the Oilers are another step closer to the franchise's first title in 35 years, and them raising their play at the most crucial of times was not at all surprising to those around them. 'I've seen them do it many times,' goaltender Stuart Skinner said. 'Hopefully I'm able to see them do it a lot more.'
USA Today
3 hours ago
- USA Today
Bucs HC Todd Bowles shares update on Antoine Winfield Jr. from OTAs
Bucs HC Todd Bowles shares update on Antoine Winfield Jr. from OTAs The Bucs have always been a franchise that relies on playmakers from their defense to determine their success or failure within a season. The latest bona fide playmaker on the Bucs roster, who is on the road to being remembered as one of the greats, is Antoine Winfield Jr. The former Minnesota Golden Gopher made his presence known as a rookie and played a part in their Super Bowl-winning season. From there, he has been named to an All-Pro team, and he has earned a monumental extension from the team. So when he missed significant time last year, it affected the team. This week, Todd Bowles spoke to the media and shared his thoughts on how the All-Pro safety looked early on at OTAs. "He's been great. I mean, he looks like he's in great shape. He's been here almost every day. He puts in the work, he puts in the time, and I like where he's at right now." Winfield Jr. played in just nine games in 2024, the lowest amount in his NFL career. He had career lows across the board in every category since entering the NFL in 2020, so he will be coming into the 2025 season with a chip on his shoulder. It seems so far he is on the right path to righting a season he sees as a wrong.
