LOWELL - The game had all the makings of a classic, and delivered.
Longtime rivals BC High and Catholic Memorial, who have owned the Super 8 since its inception, each came in with one loss in this year's tournament. A berth in the next round was on the line. This was the only game that mattered.
In a game filled with drama, it was no surprise that it came down to a breakaway in overtime.
At 3:09 of the extra period, Mike Collins scored to cap a 3-2 win for the Knights. It knocked out the defending champions, and exacted revenge for a 1-0 loss in last year's semifinal.
"Of course," said BC High goalie Sam Marotta, "It had to be Collins."
The senior captain, one of CM's most talented scorers, broke in with the game on his stick. He loaded up and slung a wrister at the net. It flew past Marotta's blocker, glanced off the post and in.
Cue the celebration.
It had started much differently. BC High controlled the puck in CM's zone, and senior Brian Sullivan's backhand beat Tom Conlin 26 seconds in.
Just 2:31 later, the Eagles added another. Senior Rob Dongara took Sullivan's outlet pass and motored up the right side. He was forced to the outside by Knights defenseman Garrett Noonan, but Dongara faked a wraparound and tossed the puck backward. It bounced cleanly off Noonan's stick and slid between Conlin's pads.
But the Knights answered. They had 22 seconds of power-play time left to start the second period, but only 15 had elapsed when Noonan walked in and beat Marotta (26 saves) to cut the lead in half.
"Nothing bothers Garrett," said CM coach Bill Hanson. "He puts that right behind him."
The Knights (16-2-3) tied the game at 5:45 of the second period. From the blue line, Noonan whipped a shot at Marotta, who made the save but lost the puck. Knights forward Derek Colucci snapped it home.
For Dongara and the Eagles (12-6-5), it was a tough loss to take.
"This has been the best three years of my life. It's tough to let it go," said Dongara. "That was the hardest we've ever played."
BC High coach Joe McCabe said the loss put him in an unfamiliar and unenviable position.
"I don't really know what to do with myself this week, because we've never had it off," he said. "The sun will come up tomorrow, I guess."
