The Boston Gold Kings(BGK), essentially the Watertown Gold Kings and one of five teams in the Power Play Senior Hockey League (PPSHL) Northeast Division, returned home to the John A. Ryan Arena Saturday night to take on the Salem Sasquatch. The Gold Kings had lost the past two weeks on the road, but remained in second place after 7 games. This was the second time these two teams were meeting this season — the Sasquatch won the first game 5-4 at home back on Nov. 8. Tonight was a different story, as the Gold Kings defeated Salem 8-4.
Things didn’t start out well, as BGK was assessed a bench minor before the game even began — they submitted their lineup card after the time required to do so — and Salem took advantage scoring a power play goal only 77 seconds into the game. But BGK recovered and controlled play throughout most of the period. That translated into three goals, two on the power play courtesy of Matt Baldino and Brandon Garneau. Forty-three-year-old defensemen Jon Lounsbury scored the other goal; 3-1 BGK after one period.
Evan Morelli was in net for the Gold Kings, and Keegan McGlaughlin for the Sasquatch. It would be an understatement to say that both goalies provided their fair-share of highlight-reel saves. One thing about PPSHL action is that defense isn’t always the greatest of priorities or played with great discipline in terms of execution and coverage. What I’m trying to say is that playing goalie in this league requires one to be on their game and ready to make some saves that just have no right being made. Both goaltenders did just that throughout!
If I’m the losing goaltender, as McGlaughlin was, I would hold my head up high because he made a dozen or more sterling saves, and of the 8 goals he gave up, most were beyond his control. That’s not to say that Evan Morelli wasn’t just as good. He wasn’t asked to stand on his head quite as much as McGlaughlin, but was left alone on an island a number of times and made some great saves. Morelli also controlled the puck beautifully, and limited rebound opportunities to less than the fingers on one hand. Morelli was voted number one star of the game, and deserved the honor on this night.
The second period was played in two parts. Part One lasted 17 minutes and forty-eight seconds, and found the Gold Kings up 5-2. At 18:11 things went crazy. Defenseman Isamatov for BGK and Wrenn for the Sasquatch got in a skirmish, won by Isamatov by a TKO, and were sent off for fighting majors. Isamatov was flying around the rink all night from his defenseman perch, and was a bit of an instigator as well and border-line worthy of ejection at some point. In any event, two other penalties were called during this same stoppage, both on Salem, a minor for boarding and a minor for unsportsmanlike conduct.
The Gold Kings took full advantage. With a 5-on-3 powerplay, it took CJ Grinnell 17 seconds to score, and then while 5-on-4, BGK scored with two seconds left in the period. Suddenly it was a 7-2 game after two periods. The Gold Kings and Sasquatch traded goals early in the third, but Salem could only scratch out one more goal while the Gold Kings inexplicably went all chippy in the last four minutes, sending a parade of players to the penalty box and giving Salem a 5 on 3. Final score, Gold Kings 8 and the Sasquatch 4. The Gold Kings move to 4-3 with 1 OTL, and remain in second place. Salem drops to 3-5.
Next up for the Gold Kings, after the New Year, is a Saturday night matchup with the Holyoke Papermen at the JAR on Jan. 3, 2026. Until then, Happy Holidays!!
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1 2 3 – F
Salem 1 1 2 – 4
Boston 3 4 1 – 8
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1st Period
BGK 0 Salem 1… PPG, 1:17
BGK 1 Salem 1… PPG, 4:14, Matt Baldino from Jon Lounsbury
BGK 2 Salem 1… GOAL, 4:41, Jon Lounsbury from Nick McNally
BGK 3 Salem 1… PPG, 9:12, Brandon Garneau from Cam Cordio & Nick McNally
2nd Period
BGK 4 Salem 1… GOAL, 10:34, Tony Dicostanzo from Russ Childers
BGK 5 Salem 1… SHG, 12:49, Cam Cordio From Ernie Isamatov & Jon Lounsbury
BGK 5 Salem 2… GOAL, 17:48
BGK 6 Salem 2… PPG, 18:28, CJ Grinnell from Joey O’Leary & Matt Baldino
BGK 7 Salem 2… PPG, 19:58, Cam Cordio from Brandon Garneau & Derek Clark
3rd Period
BGK 7 Salem 3… GOAL, 9:36
BGK 8 Salem 3… GOAL, 10:25, Ernie Isamatov from Brian Cebula & Brian Bilafer
BGK 8 Salem 4… PPG, 19:02
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Cam Cordio, 2 goals, 1 assist
Jon Lounsbury, 1 goal and 2 assists
Matt Baldino, 1 goal and 1 assist
Brandon Garneau, 1 goal and 1 assist
CJ Grinnell, 1 goal
Tony Dicostanzo, 1 goal
Ernie Isamatov, 1 goal and 1 assist
Nick McNally, 2 assists
Brian Cebula, 1 assist
Brian Bilafer, 1 assist
Derek Clark, 1 assist
Russ Childers, 1 assist