Third-seeded Shrewsbury flips the script, erupts for four goals to erase two-goal deficit in a Division 2 semifinal win over No. 2 Notre Dame (Hingham)

Trailing by two goals after the first period, Shrewsbury flipped the momentum of the game after the first intermission.

Scoring four consecutive goals, third-ranked Shrewsbury outlasted No. 2 Notre Dame Hingham, 4-3, in the Division 2 semifinals at Loring Arena in Framingham. The Colonials (20-2-2) advance to the state championship for the first time in program history, awaiting the winner of No. 1 St. Mary’s and No. 13 Billerica / Chelmsford for a matchup on March 19 at TD Garden.

Shrewsbury coach Frank Panarelli stressed the importance of winning the second period, and the Colonials adhered to his advice.

Sophomore Mia Ryder opened the scoring, followed minutes later by a tally from junior Sadie Cussan to even the score after two periods. The Colonials’ strong forechecking allowed for a plethora of zone time.

In the third period, senior Rachel Bunsick threw a puck out front, ricocheting off a defender’s skate in front and in to claim the lead. Lauren Albertson, a freshman, scored the game winning goal, jumping on a rebound from a shot by senior Maddie Mrva in front of the crease for the eventual winning goal.

“I have no words,” said Albertson. “It feels unreal. It feels like I can do anything.”

Three of the Colonials goals were courtesy of rebounds, firing pucks on net and capitalizing on solid positioning out front to pounce upon bouncing pucks off the far-pad.

“That was a huge part of our strategy,” said Ryder. “We knew that we had to shoot from anywhere and shoot low.”

Each line scored for the Colonials, showcasing the team’s depth. The experience of dropping a 2-1 decision to Arlington last season in the semifinals provided the confidence necessary to overcome an early deficit.

“Last year was a big thing to get here,” said Panarelli, in his 15th year at the helm. “Getting here was not enough this year, I want to go to the Garden.”

“Everyone wants to go to the Garden,” said Ryder. “I mean, how cool is that?”

Lauren White, a senior from Hanover, scored twice for the Cougars (17-7-0). Sophomore Caroline Harnett, a Hingham resident, added a tally.

Division 2 State

Duxbury 5, Andover 1 –– Duxbury senior captain McKenna Colella picked up a head of steam through the neutral zone, splitting a pair of defenders before uncorking a rocket into the top right corner.

The defenseman, brimming with confidence, went 200-feet to score her second goal of the game.

McKenna Colella gives Duxbury a 2-1 lead over Andover with 13:32 left in the second.

The Dragons come out flying and capitalize in the second, just like they did in the first. Heck of a shot @GlobeSchools @DuxHSAthletics @DUXGIRLSHOCK @Dannynudge @mckennacolella pic.twitter.com/pHPlxa3eYe

— Trevor Hass (@TrevorHass) March 12, 2023

A pair of goals from Colella and sophomore Maddie Greenwood paced the second-ranked Green Dragons (23-1-2) to a state semifinal victory over the No. 3 Golden Warriors (17-4-2) at Loring Arena. Duxbury will face No. 4 Canton (19-2-4) in the state championship on Mar. 19 at TD Garden in a rematch of a 1-1 tie on Feb. 11.

“Once I have something in my mind, I’m going to do everything I can to do it,” said Colella. “I saw a lane between the defensemen, pushed my speed, and got it on net, right where it had to be.”

“Two goals, but what I love the most was her compete [level] right down to the wire,” said Duxbury coach Dan Najarian. “We’re up 5-1, they’re on the power play, and she’s taking a puck to the throat to win a hockey game. You can’t ask for anything more out of one of your captains. She was a rock star.”

Junior goaltender Anna McGinty totaled 25 saves and has only allowed 17 goals in 23 games played. Senior captain Rose MacLean tallied for the Golden Warriors (17-4-2).

“We just know that the most important part of it is being on the defensive side of the puck,” said Greenwood. “When you’re on the defensive side of the puck, that will turn into offensive opportunities. We prioritize being defensive first.”

Greenwood opened the scoring with a slick wrist shot from the right circle, scoring from the same area on the power play with a slap shot.

The efforts up and down the lineup, highlighted by scoring of Colella and Greenwood, lifted the Dragons to their first state championship appearance since 2014.

“I think that this senior class in particular really wanted to get back to the Garden to reestablish Duxbury hockey as a marquee program, and I think they’ve done that so far,” said Najarian.

Canton 1, Archbishop Williams 0 — First-year Canton girls’ hockey coach Nikki Petrich already knows her players well enough to tell when they’re locked in.

Petrich wasn’t at all surprised it was senior captain Audrey Koen who scored the only goal for the fourth-seeded fourth-seeded Bulldogs (19-2-4) over top-seeded Bishops (19-4-1) in the state semifinals at Gallo Arena to advance to the title game at TD Garden for the fifth time since 2017 and seventh overall in program history.

After witnessing Koen’s pregame routine, Petrich had a hunch.

“Before the game, I saw her briefly over in the corner with her headphones on and in her zone,” Petrich recalled. “I said, ‘I guarantee she scores today.’”

Score she did, albeit not until the 12:57 mark of the third period to break open a deadlock. Carolyn Durand turned aside all 17 shots she faced for Canton, which became the first team this season to shut out the Bishops.

The Bulldogs, who lost vs. Algonquin in overtime last winter, 2-1, are still in search of their first outright title after being declared co-champions in 2020 with Wellesley due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Cam Kerry reported from Framingham, Jake Levin from Bourne.