Holyoke Papermen Edge Boston Gold Kings in Thrilling Game 1 Overtime Victory

Holyoke Papermen Edge Boston Gold Kings in Thrilling Game 1 Overtime Victory

Springfield, MA – March 1, 2025 – The Holyoke Papermen stunned the Boston Gold Kings in Game 1 of their best-of-three playoff series, coming back from a two-goal deficit to win 4-3 in overtime at Olympia Arena.

The Papermen, who will look to extend their lead in the series next Saturday in Watertown, had to dig deep after the Gold Kings took control early. The first period saw Boston take a 2-0 lead, with Christopher Maher (15:56) scoring an unassisted goal. Spencer Smith (13:57) would score with assists going to Joesph O’Leary and Michael DeLisio.

But Holyoke answered back in the second period. At 7:18, Austin Deren got the Papermen on the board assisted by Mark Laviolette. Just over three minutes later, JD Anderson tied the game 2-2 with a goal off an assist from Cody Cleveland, sending the teams into the final frame all even.

In the third period, the Papermen continued their momentum. Max Breon put Holyoke ahead 3-2 at 9:22, assisted by Jason Diamond, but the Gold Kings would not back down. With just 19 seconds remaining in regulation, Boston’s Cj Grinnell scored on the power play, assisted by O’Leary and Shawn Savela, to send the game into overtime.

As the tension built in the extra period, Holyoke’s Jason Diamond became the hero, scoring the game-winner at 18:14. Diamond was assisted by Brendan Riley and Danny Loughlin, sealing the dramatic comeback and giving the Papermen a 1-0 series lead.

Both goalies were outstanding in the high-pressure playoff game. Michael Cowell of Boston made 32 saves on 36 shots, earning a save percentage of .889, while Holyoke’s Griffin Spear was even more impressive, stopping 34 of 37 shots for a save percentage of .919.

3 Stars of the Game

1. Jason Diamond- Holyoke- 1 goal 1 assist OT winner

2. Joesph O’Leary- Boston- 2 assists

3. Griffin Spear- Holyoke- Win 34 saves on 37 shots

Looking Ahead

The teams will meet again for Game 2 of the series on March 8, 2025, at John A Ryan Arena in Watertown, MA, at 7:50 p.m. The Gold Kings will look to bounce back and even the series, while the Papermen will aim to javascript:void(0);about:blank#blockedSave & Publish