Three third-period goals by sophomore, Spaulding forward Colby Laperle, helped the Crimson Tide defeat the Redhawks 4-1 in the Division I high school boys state championship game on Tuesday night at UVM's Gutterson Fieldhouse.

The seventh-seeded Redhawks got off to an early lead. Twenty-seven seconds into the first period, captain Robbie Dobrowski went for a wrap-around behind Spaulding goalie, Chris Pelkey. Although Pelkey denied the goal, a wide open Nate LaCroix deposited the rebound for a 1-0 CVU lead.

The Crimson Tide was finally able to knot the score at one on a 5-on-3 power play goal in the second period. With overlapping minors against CVU, the only two penalties in the entire game, Spaulding had a two-man advantage for a total of 38 seconds. Only 13 seconds were needed for the Tide to capitalize on a tally by Josh Bell.

CVU coach Doug Hopper said of Spaulding, "They're a good team and they played a great disciplined hockey game...they were the better team tonight."

The 1-1 deadlock carried into the third period. That is until Laperle was able to dribble one inside the far post, beating CVU goalie Mark Albertson (30 saves).

Although CVU offered up some of its best pressure of the game, Spaulding goalie Pelkey (18 saves) came up huge. Hopper agreed, "Full credit to him; Mr. Pelkey played a heck of hockey game tonight," he said.

During a faceoff scramble 10 minutes into the third period Laperle let loose a low slider that eluded Albertson for the 3-1 lead. Laperle scored his hat trick on an empty net with 39 seconds left in regulation effectively ending Spaulding's 13-year title drought.