Paul Molnar scored all five goals and the John Stark-Hopkinton boys’ hockey team wrapped up the regular season with a 5-4 victory over Monadnock-Fall Mountain on Sunday.
Molnar tallied the first five scores of the game, but Monadnock-Fall Mountain mounted a spirited comeback starting late in the second period. The General Hawks entered the final frame with a 5-1 cushion and held off second-place Monadnock-Fall Mountain despite a penchant for converting on the man advantage.
“Tough team to play without our full squad,” General Hawks coach Denis Kolehmainen said. “Five-on-five, we dominated the play in the first two periods but we took too many undisciplined penalties today against a very good team and we gave up three power-play goals.”
Nolan Sauer had two assists, while Brett Patnode, Owen Olson, Tyler Scordo, Benny Madden and Ethan Molnar each tallied one helper for the General Hawks (17-1), who will enter the Division III playoffs as the top seed. Stark-Hopkinton goalie Jameson Bourque made 26 saves, as Monadnock-Fall Mountain fell to 14-3 with the defeat.
The General Hawks also defeated ConVal-Conant, 6-2, on Saturday. Cooper Rivers scored a hat trick, while Paul Molnar, Ethan Molnar and Patnode scored as well. Bourque stopped 22 shots for the win.