The Hopkinton Hillers finished their regular season on a high note by downing the Needham Rockets 4-2 on Wednesday night, riding a fireworks display from Finn Mahon, who scored all four Hopkinton goals. Mahon repeatedly capitalized on chances and finished as the obvious offensive catalyst in a game that also saw strong team defense.
Hopkinton closed with its best stretch of the season, winning six straight games and going 8-2 over its last ten to finish 12-7-1. That form earned the Hillers the No. 18 seed in the D2 hockey bracket heading into the postseason. While their late-season run included wins over solid opponents, including a 2-0 victory over a No. 21-seeded Lincoln Sudbury team, Hopkinton sits just shy of leapfrogging the No. 17 seed, Newburyport, in the standings.
The Hillers will learn their Round of 32 opponent shortly and will carry strong momentum into the playoffs. With Mahon heating up and the roster peaking at the right time, Hopkinton should be a dangerous draw for any opponent this postseason.
