The Watertown hockey team seeks another trip to the State Tournament in 2025-26. Here the Raiders celebrate a 4-3 double overtime victory over Pembroke in the MIAA Div. 3 State Tournament. (Photo by Charlie Breitrose)
The Watertown boys hockey team faces off with Belmont on Saturday in the first regular season game of the year. The Raiders look to return to the State Tournament and make a run as they have in recent years.
The Boston Gold Kings won an overtime thriller Saturday night at John A. Ryan Arena, 6-5 over the Norfolk Mallards.
But, before the game details take over this column, lets catch up on who the Boston Gold Kings are and the league they play in. For those still learning about the league and the team, the following (re)introduction: the Power Play Senior Hockey League (PPSHL), is comprised of teams in a close range demographic throughout central New England. This is a Full contact Pro Style hockey league where players will get to continue their hockey journey without the feeling of settling for men’s league hockey. Teams play on the weekend only, occasionally Saturday & Sunday, but typically one day or the other. Teams are individually owned and operated by owners, not by the PPSHL. Current teams
Boston Gold Kings
Holyoke Paper Men
Hudson Valley Reapers
Norfolk Mallards
Salem Sasquatch
The Gold Kings are essentially Watertown’s team, despite being “Boston.” Since their inception, the Gold Kings have played their games (as well as practiced) at John A. Ryan Arena and have been a presence at local events such as Faire on the Square. They also work hard at being a positive citizen in the community, and on Saturday night, in game five of the still early ’25-26 season, the Gold Kings stuck to their model by honoring the Military in pre-game festivities.
Included in their efforts was: the presentation of the Color Guard courtesy of the Shutt Detachment Marine Corps League & VFW Post 1105, a ceremonial puck drop by Lincoln Rocca, young son of parents and proud veterans of the U.S. Army, Tony & Kendra Rocca, and the introduction of four hockey players on the ice Saturday night who have served, three with the U.S. Army and one with the National Guard. The Gold Kings also ran an auction and raffle, with proceeds going to Operation American Soldier. This was a wonderful show of support and appreciation by the Gold Kings, and kudos to them! On to the hockey game!
The Boston Gold Kings play hockey in the Power Play Senior Hockey League (PPSHL). The Gold Kings also happen to make Watertown their home, playing their home games at the John A.Ryan Arena. The Gold Kings have worked hard to make a footprint in the community the past few years, making appearances at Faire on the Square, for example. And the Gold King’s sponsor list includes many Watertown businesses. The Power Play Senior Hockey League, Northeast Region, added a fifth team for the 2025 season, adding Hudson Valley to go along with Salem, Holyoke, Norfolk, and the Gold Kings. In the ’24 playoffs, the Gold Kings swept Holyoke in the semis did the same to top-seed Salem in the finals. On Saturday night, Boston and Holyoke got the ’25 season started, and it was a wild ride indeed, with the Gold Kings prevailing 7-6 on a game-winner with 1:20 to go in regulation. Now the PPSHL plays three 20 minute periods, just like pro leagues. It’s a full-checking league, and even fighting is allowed. Four officials suit up as further evidence of the seriousness of the competition. Rosters are made up of professionals, as in professionals in other aspects of life, and who love the sport of hockey and want to continue playing in something more competitive than a Tuesday night league that skates for an hour at 10 p.m., fully equipped with cold pucks and cold ones in the cooler.
The champions return to the ice in Watertown on Sept. 27 for an exhibition game against the Salem Sasquatch. Admission is free for the game, which begins at 8:35 p.m.
Last season, the Gold Kings clinched the Power Play Senior Hockey League title at John A. Ryan Arena last April. The team fought back to complete a 5-4 come from behind victory over Salem in Game 2 of the best-of-three finals. The semi-pro team heads into its third season in 2025-26.
It’s looking like a sunny and entertaining weekend in town! The slower summer weekends are past, and our event venues are definitely in the eventing mood. I’m sorry to tell you that the New England AcroFest is sold out (Give that a search if you haven’t heard of it.), but there is more enjoyment to be had. Why wait for October to celebrate Oktoberfest? The Mighty Squirrel Brewery will be at it all weekend, including a stein holding competition on Friday evening and an oompah band on Saturday afternoon.
The Boston Gold Kings celebrate scoring in Game 2 of the PPSHL Finals. The Gold Kings won the game 5-4 against Salem. (Photo by John Merritt)
Two goals in the third period capped a dream playoff run by the Boston Gold Kings, who won Game 2 of the finals 5-4 over the Salem Sasquatch and clinched the team’s first title in its second year of existence. The Gold Kings lifted the Power Play Senior Hockey League (PPSHL) trophy on home ice at the John A. Ryan Arena on March 29. The semi pro team now seeks to keep improving and hopes to see the league add more competition, said Cameron Labrecque, the Gold Kings’ General Manager & Director of Hockey Operations.
The Boston Gold Kings need to win one more game to capture the PPSHL Championship after beating the Salem Sasquatch 5-2 on Saturday. The semi-pro team, which plays its home games at John A. Ryan Arena in Watertown, hosts game 2 of the finals against the Sasquatch on Saturday, March 29 at 8:10 p.m. If game 3 is necessary, the teams will play on April 5 at 7 p.m. in Salem, New Hampshire. The Gold Kings finished the regular season in third place in the Power Play Senior Hockey League, with a record of 8-9-1. The team dropped the first game of the semifinal series to the No. 2 sed Holyoke Papermen on March 1, but the Papermen had to forfeit the game after it was discovered they used an ineligible player.
Watertown senior Tessa Master is heading back to the New England Championships after finishing third at the All-State Wrestling Meet. (Photo by Charlie Breitrose)
Watertown’s wrestlers made more history this week as two athletes placed at All-States and will move on to the New England Championships. The Watertown-Wayland boys hockey team skated in a close game at Triton in the Round of 16 of the State Tournament. Wrestling
For the first time, two Watertown wrestlers will compete at the New England Wrestling Championships, and for the first time a Raider will be in the boys’ bracket. On Saturday, Watertown’s Tessa Master finished third at the All-State Wrestling Meet in Methuen.
