Bellmore-Merrick hockey team has finally ascended to the pinnacle of success.
After enduring numerous setbacks over the years, the Bulldogs have emerged victorious in the Empire State, claiming the title of New York’s state champions for the first time.
“You learn a lot from losing,” shared head coach Patrick Braglia with The Post. Braglia has experienced the agony of nearly half a dozen state tournament disappointments, including a grueling triple overtime defeat.
“These guys understood the sting of loss,” he continued. “I think our seniors, in particular, played a crucial role in keeping the team’s spirit and belief alive.”
Now, with their hard-earned vengeance over Long Beach under their belts, Braglia’s team is preparing for their next challenge. They are set to compete in the USA Hockey National Championships in Plymouth, Minnesota, next week.
The Bulldogs clinched the state title in a nail-biting 4-2 match against St. Francis of Buffalo. Despite falling behind early, they managed to hold the line at a tense 2-2 tie late in the game before securing their victory.
“In the third period, it was like they were the Canadians and we were the Americans,” Braglia said, comparing the championship to the men’s Olympic gold match.
Forward Jackson Austin became the hero with under three minutes to go by getting a deflection goal that put the Bulldogs up 3-2, a lead they padded on an empty-netter on after a ferocious six-on-five attack for nearly 90 seconds.
“We had to have blocked, I don’t know, 10 shots in that short amount of time,” said Braglia.
The boys are taking some well-earned rest before shipping out to Minnesota, as their head coach said the focus is on themselves rather than on anticipating a matchup with some of the other 15 best teams in the U.S.
“It’s about staying the course. We don’t really worry too much about what other people do. We really try to play our game,” he said.
“There’s a full buy-in from every guy — all the time. It’s a special type of environment to be in.”
