FRAMINGHAM – The Bedford boys hockey team came into its Div. 3 state semifinal at Loring Arena on Saturday night on a five-game shutout streak, and took a lead only 95 seconds in that sent a rowdy crowd into a frenzy when Medfield goalie Charlie Duggan and his net were wiped out on a collision.
Duggan and the second-seeded Warriors (22-1-1) didn’t let it rattle them, scoring four unanswered goals the rest of the way to advance to their first state final since 2016 with a 4-1 win over the No. 6 Buccaneers.
Sophomore John Shaughnessy scored twice with an empty-netter and senior Joey Nee dished out two assists, rewarding an MVP performance from Duggan (27 saves) to get to TD Garden.
“It’s special,” said first-year head coach Jon Jepson. “I had no idea what to expect coming into this year, hadn’t met any of the kids. We have 22 kids who are just great kids and they want to learn, so it’s been fun. … I’m really happy for them. We had individual and team goals, and every single one of them, that was their goal – is to play at the Garden and win a state championship.”
“Oh my God, I can’t believe it,” added Duggan. “Unreal feeling.”
Bedford got on the board early on a bit of a wild goal, as James Lorusso’s shot found its way through as Duggan and the net were barreled over.
That’s all they would get.
After Nee assisted on goals from Shaughnessy and freshman Luke Dickson to take a 2-1 lead with 6:32 left in the second, Duggan was called upon to keep it that way about four minutes later when Bedford was awarded a penalty shot. Later, within the first couple minutes of the third, the Buccaneers broke out a breakaway and a two-on-none. They even peppered Duggan with 11 shots on net in the third.
He stopped them all.
“It means a lot, being able to have the guys rely on me,” Duggan said. “It’s a very special feeling. I get to go in every day … and know I have an entire town to support me. And I rely on them just as much as they rely on me. Today was special, but it’s not just me.”
“Just as much as it’s me, it’s every single one of them as well,” he continued.
Dickson’s go-ahead goal about midway through the second came only four seconds into a 4-on-4. There was plenty to feel safe in with how Duggan performed, but Medfield could take a bit of a deeper breath when Matty Dickson potted a 3-1 lead with 3:31 left.
Shaughnessy finished off the day with an empty-netter with 31.9 seconds to go.
“It wasn’t our prettiest game, but we just kept grinding and finding a way,” Jepson said. “Last game we had, their goalie was really good too. … It doesn’t have to be pretty, just throw them on net. (Max Marchionna) is a good goalie, and they play solid defense as a team. They made it hard.”
Marchionna finished with 25 saves to keep Bedford close the whole way.