Boston Gold Kings Claim Inaugural PPSHL Championship in Thrilling Game 2 Victory

Watertown, MA – March 22, 2025 – In a dramatic back-and-forth contest at John A Ryan Arena, the Boston Gold Kings secured their first-ever PPSHL Championship, winning Game 2 of the best-of-three series 5-4 against the Salem Sasquatch. With the victory, Boston clinched the series 2-0, marking an unforgettable milestone in their history.

The game started fast and physical, with both teams battling for the edge. Salem struck first at 11:01 in the opening period, as Matthew LaBelle capitalized on an even-strength opportunity, assisted by Alex Campbell. The Sasquatch led 1-0, but it didn’t take long for Boston to respond.

Just under six minutes later, at 5:01, Ryan Drizen leveled the game with an even-strength goal, assisted by Michael DeLisio. The Gold Kings took their first lead at 3:02 when Spencer Smith scored on the power play, with assists from Joseph O’Leary and Matt Baldino, putting Boston ahead 2-1.

The second period saw more drama. At 17:05, Salem’s Kris Cecere found the back of the net to tie the game once more, assisted by Tom Missert. But the Gold Kings answered quickly, with Christian Baldino scoring on the power play at 14:14, assisted by his brother Matt Baldino. At 10:00, Salem’s Cecere scored again, this time unassisted, to make it 3-3.

The Sasquatch seemed to take control early in the third period when Andrew Contrada scored at 12:10, assisted by Cecere, giving Salem a 4-3 lead. However, the Gold Kings wouldn’t back down. At 8:10, Matt Baldino scored an unassisted even-strength goal to tie it up at 4-4. The final blow came at 4:50 when Joseph O’Leary netted a power-play goal, assisted by Matt Baldino, putting Boston ahead 5-4.

Gold Kings' goalie Michael Cowell was a standout in the win, making 38 saves on 42 shots, good for a .905 save percentage. His stellar play kept Boston in the game during key moments. On the other end, Salem’s Keegan McLaughlin faced 29 shots, saving 24 for a .828 save percentage.

The victory was a historic moment for the Boston Gold Kings, who have now etched their name into the history books as the first-ever PPSHL Champions.

Final Score:
Boston Gold Kings 5, Salem Sasquatch 4
Boston wins the best-of-three series 2-0.

3 Stars of the Game

1.Matt Baldino- Boston- 1 goal 3 assists

2.Kris Cecere- Salem- 2 goals 1 assist

3.Joey O’Leary- Boston- 1 goal 1 assist