The Boston Gold Kings(BGK) entered their final game of the season feeling pretty good about themselves, entering the contest with second place locked up and having beaten first-place Hudson 6-3 just days earlier.
While Saturday night’s game versus Salem wouldn’t change the Gold Kings fate come the post-season, it was important to Salem. A win, and a loss by Holyoke versus Norfolk would assure Salem of third place and a match-up with the Gold Kings for a chance to make the Finals. A loss, and Salem would be relegated to the play-in game versus last-place Norfolk and a potential date with Hudson, who finished the season 14-2. Following along? Well, this tale has two parts — part one is a flat game by the Gold Kings that resulted in a 3-2 Salem win. Part Two is whether or not the Gold Kings provided Salem, their playoff-foe-to-be, with some confidence by not showing up Saturday night and playing their usual checking and skating game. I guess we’ll find out beginning next Saturday night.
As for the game on this night, each team scored once in the first three minutes of period one, leaving it tied at 1 after one. The penalty bug, a constant theme this season for the Gold Kings, bit once too often again in this contest, and the third power play of the night for Salem resulted in a Sasquatch goal to take a 2-1 lead into the third period. Salem made it 3-1 early in the third period, and held on for a 3-2 win. Boston ended the regular season at 8-6-0-2, good for 18 points and second place. Salem finished 8-7-0-1, good for 17 points and third place.
The bigger question as the Gold Kings look to defend their ’25 Title is this — can they turn it on come next week, play disciplined hockey and impose their very skilled and imposing style of play on Salem and win the best 2 out of 3 and advance to Senior Power Play Finals? The 16-game season, which started back in October, is behind them, and the Gold Kings have some excellent hockey players to choose from as they try to figure out who will fill up the lineup card for Game 1 versus Salem Saturday night March 21 at 7:20 p.m. at the John A.Ryan Arena. Game 2 will be the next afternoon, Sunday March 22 at 3:20 at Salem. If the teams split, Game 3 would have to wait until the following weekend, most likely Saturday March 28, at the home of the Gold Kings: Ryan Arena.
Power Play Senior Hockey is an excellent product. You should come out and root on the Gold Kings, essentially Watertown’s team, on March 21. It should be an exciting night of hockey, full of physical play and high emotions!
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1 2 3 – F
Salem 1 1 1 – 3
Boston 1 0 1 – 2
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1st Period
BGK 0 Salem 1… Goal @ 2:11
BGK 1 Salem 1… Cam Cordio, unassisted, @ 2:57
2nd Period
BGK 1 Salem 2… PPG @ 14:46
3rd Period
BGK 0 Salem 3... Goal @ 3:29
BGK 2 Salem 3… Nick McNally from Cam Cordio @ 7:31
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GOLDKINGS Playoff Schedule
Game 1, Best of 3, Saturday March 21 vs Salem @ The JAR at 7:20
Game 2, Best of 3, Sunday March 22 @ Salem, 3:20 pm
Game 3, Best of 3, TBD