Nolan Dawson delivers Billerica double-OT triumph in Division 2 boys' hockey final
Billerica's Daniel Viscione skates down and centers it to Nolan Dawson, who buries the one-timer at the 3:22 mark of the second overtime to give Billerica the Division 2 bots hockey championship! First for the Indians since 1977.
— Brendan Kurie (@BrendanKurie)
Initially, Billerica coach Jim Egan said he was preparing his team for another 4-on-4 period before the second extra session. Still, it was a pleasant surprise when he learned it would be 3-on-3, believing it played more to his team's strengths.
'We like a little more space on the ice,' Egan said. 'When the 2-on-1 formed, I said, 'There go our two best players, so it could be it.' And it was.'
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Billerica team captians (from left) Nolan Dawson, Owen Fitzmaurice, James Columbus, and Tim Murphy celebrate with the Division 2 state championship trophy Sunday at TD Garden.
Matthew J. Lee/Globe Staff
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Twice, the top-seeded Indians (23-1-1) trailed the third-seeded Bulldogs (23-2-1), a program which had advanced to the Division 2 final five times since 2019 (wins in '19 and '23, co-champs in '20).
Senior Travis Thomas opened scoring for Canton on the power play at 12:22 of the first period, which Billerica countered at 3:17 of the second period on a power play of its own.
Daniel Viscione knots it at 1-1 for Billerica just 7 seconds into a power play at the 11:43 mark of the 2nd period.
— Brendan Kurie (@BrendanKurie)
The 1-all score held until there were less than 3 minutes to play in regulation, at which point sophomore Ryan Elrick put home an offering from Thomas set up behind the net.
What a pass from Travis Thomas to Ryan Elrick who puts Canton up 2-1 with 2:56 left in the game.
— Brendan Kurie (@BrendanKurie)
Again, Viscione responded, this time a mere 28 seconds later with his 40th and final goal of the season.
2:28 left: Billerica 2, Canton 2
Danny Viscione's second of the game knots it, 28 seconds after Ryan Elrick put Canton ahead.
What a game!
— Cam Kerry (@camkerry7)
'We've had so much support throughout the whole week getting ready for this game, and we saw it in the crowd,' Viscione said. 'We're so happy to get it done for them.'
The loss for Canton was its first since its season opener, a 5-2 setback vs. Barnstable on Dec. 14; the Bulldogs' lone tie came in their fourth game, 2-2 vs. Milton, before running off 21 straight wins.
Canton's Travis Thomas (22) celebrates his goal with teammate Joey Ryan (20) and their fans Sunday at TD Garden.
Matthew J. Lee/Globe Staff
'We had some chances, we just couldn't land it,' Canton coach Brian Shuman said. 'If you give their top guns enough chances, they're going to bury one eventually.'
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Senior Steve MacIntosh made 41 saves in the win for Billerica, receiving the game puck from the team. Senior Connor Geoghan made 27 stops for Canton.
Billerica goalie Stephen MacIntosh makes one of his 41 saves in Sunday's double-overtime victory over Canton to win the Division 2 state title.
Matthew J. Lee/Globe Staff
Billerica 3, Canton 2 (2 OTs)
at TD Garden, Boston
Canton (23-2-1) 1 0 1 0 0 — 2
Billerica (23-1-1) 0 1 1 0 1 — 3
1, C, Travis Thomas (Joey Ryan, Ryan Elrick) 12:22 (pp). 2, B, Danny Viscione (Nolan Dawson) 3:17 (pp). 3, C, Ryan Elrick (Travis Thomas, Joey Ryan) 13:04. 4, B, Danny Viscione (Nolan Dawson) 13:32. 5, B, Nolan Dawson (Danny Viscione) 3:22.
Saves: C, Connor Geoghan, 27; B, Steve MacIntosh, 41.
It's the golden moment, as Billerica's Nolan Dawson (9) fires the game-winning goal just under the glove of Canton goalie Connor Geoghan (30).
Matthew J. Lee/Globe Staff
As Billerica's High's Nolan Dawson (top) celebrates his game-winner, Canton's Will Young (28) collapses on the TD Garden ice.
Matthew J. Lee/Globe Staff
Canton netminder Connor Geoghan sprawls out to deny Billerica's Tim Murphy (2) in the third period of Sunday's Division 2 state final.
Matthew J. Lee/Globe Staff
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