Colin Dorgan Leads Blackstone Valley Co-op to Division II Title After Pawtucket Tragedy
colin dorgan stepped onto the ice in Providence with grief still fresh and a season that had been forcibly paused, then helped carry Blackstone Valley Co-op to a state championship on Wednesday. The Rhode Island Interscholastic League Division II Boys Hockey Championship ended in quadruple overtime at the Amica Mutual Pavilion, where Blackstone beat Lincoln High School 3-2. The win came one month after a mass shooting at the Dennis M. Lynch arena in Pawtucket killed members of Colin Dorgan’s family and left the program, and the wider community, reeling.
Championship clinched in quadruple overtime as Colin Dorgan delivers key goal
After Blackstone clinched the win in quadruple overtime on Wednesday, colin dorgan, a team captain, spoke about the presence he felt from family members he lost in February. He said his mother, brother, and grandfather were still with him “every step of the way, ” adding: “I truly felt it in my heart and my soul that they’re still with me. They’re still here. ”
On the ice, the game turned into a long, tense finish that demanded a response from Blackstone after it fell behind by two goals at the end of the second period. Blackstone eventually rallied, and Colin Dorgan scored the game-tying goal that kept the title push alive before the team ultimately secured the championship.
Tragedy at Pawtucket rink paused the season; counseling and support followed
The title run unfolded under the shadow of the Feb. 16 shooting during “Senior Night” at the Dennis M. Lynch arena, a night that sent Colin Dorgan and his teammates running for their lives and brought the season to a painful halt. Colin Dorgan’s mother, Rhonda Dorgan, and his 23-year-old brother, Aidan Dorgan, along with his grandparents and a family friend, were shot when his father opened fire on the family and then died by suicide at the scene.
Rhonda Dorgan died at the rink. Aidan Dorgan and Colin Dorgan’s grandfather, Gerald Dorgan, 75, died later at the hospital. Pawtucket police declined to provide further updates on the condition of Colin Dorgan’s grandmother, Linda Dorgan. Family friend Thomas Geruso was released from the hospital earlier this month.
In the days after the shooting, the Rhode Island Interscholastic League temporarily paused games. Blackstone Valley Co-op spent time in counseling sessions, working together to process what had happened, as the team weighed how—and whether—to return to finish the season.
Coach Chris Librizzi: ‘We won it because of love’
Head coach Chris Librizzi described the emotional stretch leading into the championship and pointed to the support that surrounded the team. “The outpouring of love and support that was sent our way from all over North America, it’s just been nothing but spectacular, and it made the difference, ” Chris Librizzi said during a press conference after the game. “We won it because of love. ”
Librizzi also said the team’s belief sharpened when Colin Dorgan returned to play, calling it a jolt of inspiration for a group determined to finish what it started. Colin Dorgan described the difficulty of returning, saying he was nervous at first to go back and to talk to people, but said teammates made him feel like a brother.
Tributes fill the arena as first responders join pregame ceremony
Inside the rink on Wednesday, tributes remained present but understated. Pawtucket first responders joined the team on the ice for a ceremony ahead of the game, which included country singer Billy Gilman performing the national anthem. Blackstone players wore a red heart on their uniforms with the initials of the victims, and the image was displayed above the team’s bench alongside a sign reading: “Strength in our sticks. ”
What’s next for Colin Dorgan and Blackstone after the title
In the immediate aftermath of the win, the focus stayed on remembrance and resilience rather than celebration alone, with colin dorgan framing the moment through the people he lost and the teammates who helped him return. The team has now completed a season defined by interruption, counseling, and an eventual championship, with the next developments centered on how Blackstone and the wider school community continue to heal while honoring those absent from the stands.
