For the first time ever, D-S/Weston boys hockey team crowned state champion

BOSTON - The TD Garden public address announcer couldn't keep up.

Dover-Sherborn/Weston's Hunter Hourihan fired the puck toward Hanover's net in Sunday's Division 4 state final. It caromed off a Hawks' defender's stick and popped straight into the air, resembling a floater on the parquet floor more than a one-timer on the ice. The puck bounced off the Hanover goalie's helmet and dribbled into the back of the net for the Raiders' go-ahead goal with 47.7 seconds left in the second period.

"I just saw it fall off the goalie's head," Hourihan said. "It was pretty exciting."

Before the arena could acknowledge the goal, Chris Rogaris pounced on the puck after the faceoff and put the Raiders ahead two goals just 16 seconds later. Those tallies were part of five unanswered Dover-Sherborn/Weston goals in a 5-1 victory that clinched the program's first state championship.

"It was awesome," D-S/Weston senior Calvin Roman said. "There's no other feeling like it."

The Raiders (21-4) delivered another quick strike in the third period. Max Niit put away his second tally off the post for a 4-1 lead from a short angle on the left side of the goal with 12:46 remaining. Max Pautenaude followed with the one for the thumb another 15 seconds later.

"You can't take your eye off the road," Hanover coach Jon Abban said. "They were able to keep up that pressure and capitalize."

Raiders bounce back

The Hawks put the pressure on first. Cam Scott jumped through a breakout and fired a shot into the D-S/Weston net 9:55 in. Hanover carried that 1-0 lead into the first intermission, where the Raiders reset.

"It is the biggest stage of all. It's what you dream to do. We knew we just had to get back to the locker, room, talk it over, and we knew our forecheck was going to win us this game," D-S/Weston coach Alex Marlow said.

Hanover was playing for its third state title in the past five years and fifth since 2016. The Hawks have reached the Garden every even year since 2014, including 2020 when the state finals were cancelled. D-S/Weston had never made a final four before this season.

"It was our first time, and they had experience, so we were all nervous in the first period," Roman said. "I just told the team to settle down and do our thing, get back to it."

The voice:Calvin Roman's vocal leadership carried Dover-Sherborn/Weston hockey to final at TD Garden

That started with senior netminder Andrew Goldstein. He admitted he would have liked the goal back but leaned on his teammates to find his game.

"He is human. We can all say that he's human. He's been acting godlike," Marlow said. "He let one in, and he's saved us on numerous other ones. I don't question his ability to get his head back in the game."

Goldstein didn't allow another goal or much of a sniff. He stayed solid in net as the rest of his team teed off.

Brick wall:Andrew Goldstein became D-S/Weston hockey's last line of defense in D4 state final run

"Definitely one I wish I had, but it's happened to me before, and I trust myself," Goldstein said. "But I also trust my brothers because they've always been there for me. I'm always there for them, and they were there for me."

Niit tied the game with 13:01 left in the second period, finishing a pinball sequence from Cole McEwen and Brayden McKenna.

Contact Kyle Grabowski at kgrabowski@gannett.com. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @kylegrbwsk.