Colin Dorgan and the Blackstone Valley Co-op hockey team captured the Division 2 state championship Wednesday, overcoming profound grief after a teammate's family was killed in a mass shooting during a previous game.

The senior captain's mother, brother, and grandfather were murdered in February while he played a Senior Day game at Rhode Island's Dennis M. Lynch Arena. Police identified the shooter as Robert Dorgan, who died by suicide after killing his ex-wife and son. Despite the trauma, Dorgan returned as team captain, scoring a crucial winning goal in double overtime during the semifinals last week and tying the final score with a deflection shot late in regulation on Wednesday. His jersey bears a heart patch honoring his lost family.

Coach Chris Librizzi, a 30-year veteran, navigated the team through counseling and offered players the option to sit out, but all returned. Dorgan took longest to decide, telling Librizzi, 'Coach I'll see you tomorrow at practice.' The victory provided catharsis for a team grappling with trauma, demonstrating remarkable resilience.