WOBURN –– Billed as a pair of matchups between four of the premier public school boys’ hockey programs in the state, the action at O’Brien Rink in the semifinals of the Ed Burns Tournament Peter Doherty Division delivered.
After junior Killian Wright scored with 19.3 seconds in overtime to lift fourth-ranked Arlington to a thrilling 3-2 victory over No. 5 Belmont, third-ranked Hingham and No. 6 Reading put on a double-overtime show of their own.
After Reading junior Laz Giardina rang the left post on a breakaway, Hingham junior defenseman Jack Rakauskas sped down the ice courtesy of a pass from senior captain Billy Jacobus and slotted a wrist shot past the blocker, sealing a 2-1 victory for Hingham.
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Hingham defeats Reading 2-1 in double overtime to advance to the Ed Burns Tournament Doherty Division championship. Jack Rakauskas buries a breakaway for @HarbormenHockey to seal the deal. What a fantastic game. @HarbormenNews @GlobeSchools pic.twitter.com/B9xKS7Uipk
— Cam Kerry (@camkerry7) February 5, 2023
“[Rakauskas] has never skated that fast in his life,” said Hingham coach Tony Messina. “I said to him, ‘You were skating like you stole something in Woburn.’ ”
Rakauskas battled a dull blade in the second period, getting an assist from senior captain Ace Concannon with a stone to sharpen the edge. After the equipment adjustment, the 6-foot, lefthanded defenseman provided the heroics to send the third-ranked Harbormen to the championship game for the second consecutive year.
“It was the first three-on-three of my life,” said Rakauskas. “It was a great moment. I just didn’t want to get caught.”
Junior Travis Rugg scored the other goal for the Harbormen (10-1-4), burying a loose puck in front for his sixth tally of the season. Senior Luke McLellan made 27 saves, flashing his pads well to control rebounds.
Reading junior Cam Fahey tied the contest with 2:29 to play, weaving through two defensemen before ripping a wrist shot far side. Junior Chris Hanifin totaled 28 saves for the Rockets (9-2-2).
Wright’s overtime winner set up a final between Arlington and Hingham, a rematch of a 2-1 victory for the Harbormen on Jan. 8.
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Arlington senior Steph Sotiropoulos collected the puck in the corner off a rush by sophomore Liam Gore and looked for an opening in front of the net. Sotiropoulos’s cross-crease pass was deflected, slowing at Wright’s feet. The junior’s backhanded goal, his second of the game, iced the contest.
“I was so excited,” said Wright. “The adrenaline was rushing through my body, I was just so happy.”
With two well-coached teams locked in a strategic affair, both units stuck to their structure and tried to avoid making a costly mistake.
“We were too much of an Instagram team so far,” said Arlington coach John Messuri. “Today was the first time we showed signs of not being an Instagram team, not so much worried with highlights and what’s going to go on social media, just wanting to win.”
Senior Jake Russell scored the first goal for the Spy Ponders (12-2-2) and senior Jake Davies recorded 22 stops in net.
Senior captain Shay Donahue scored twice for the Marauders (10-2-3). Donahue’s second tally was off a deflection from a shot by fellow senior captain Peter Grace on the power play.
Bedford 3, Dracut/Tyngsborough 2 — Freshman Alex Frost netted the third-period winner for the Buccaneers (7-7-1) in the Merrimack Valley/Dual County tilt. Sophomores James Nichol and Ryan McGrath also notched goals at the Tsongas Center.
Framingham 3, Waltham 2 — Junior Dom Connerney slotted the overtime goal for the Flyers (7-8-0) in the consolation round of the Ed Burns Brinn Division. Classmates Brendan Peck and Noah Albright each recorded a goal and an assist at Rodman Arena.
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Marshfield 3, Braintree 0 — Freshman Brendan McLaughlin scored his first varsity goal while junior Ryland McGlame and senior Jake Hemingway added tallies for the eighth-ranked Rams (14-1-2) in the consolation round of the Ed Burns Doherty Division. Senior Brady Quackenbush earned his sixth shutout of the season at Canton Ice House.
Rockport 3, Amesbury/Whittier 2 — Third period goals from seniors Michael Murphy, Derek Budrow, and Michael Nocella propelled the Vikings (6-10-0) to a Cape Ann win at Dorothy Talbot Rink in Gloucester.
St. John’s (Shrewsbury) 3, BC High 1 — Luke Gerardi scored a pair of second-period goals, the first 6:49 in from Sean Farrell, and the second from Jack Beauregard three minutes later, lifting the Pioneers (7-8-1) to the Catholic Conference win against BC High (5-9-1) at UMass Boston. Ryan Melanson made 37 saves for SJS.
Tewksbury 6, Weymouth 3 — Jeremy Insogna rifled in three goals to propel the ninth-ranked Redmen (13-1-1) in the Ed Burns Brinn Division semifinals at the Canton Ice House. The all-junior line of Insogna, Tyler Barnes (2 goals), and Matt Cooke (1 goal) combined for 13 points. Senior Ben O’Keefe made 13 stops. Tewksbury will play Winchester in next week’s final.
Walpole 5, Burlington 1 — Senior Joe Cox struck twice for the Timberwolves (10-4-0) to earn the win in the consolation round of the Ed Burns Brinn Division at Rodman Arena.
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Winchester 3, Natick 0 — Senior Kevin Bertocci collected a pair of goals for the Red & Black (6-8-1), who advanced to the final in the Ed Burns Brinn Division with the victory at Canton Ice House. Winchester will face Tewksbury.
Girls’ hockey
Bishop Feehan 10, Nantucket 3 — Sophomore Chloe Bryda and junior Caitlin Kelley racked up hat tricks for the Shamrocks (5-6-1) in a nonleague tilt. Senior Taylor DeMond totaled 12 saves for her first varsity win at New England Sports Village.
Stoneham/Wilmington 5, Reading 1 — Lily MacKenzie recorded a hat trick and Katelin Hally added a goal as the Spartans (11-3-1) picked up a Middlesex win.
Whitman-Hanson/Silver Lake 4, Scituate 0 — Junior Juliana Connors opened the scoring for the Panthers (10-4-0), and sophomores Brenna Hohmann and Chloe Duff added a goal and assist each in a Patriot League win at Hobomock Arena in Pembroke.
Cam Kerry can be reached at cam.kerry@globe.com.