There are two ways to look at sudden-death overtime: itSA国际影视传媒檚 the most exciting way to win a game or itSA国际影视传媒檚 the most heart-breaking way to lose a game.

For Lonan Bulger, he got the chance to experience the exhilarating side of that equation last weekend.

Bulger and his Hobart College Statesmen of New York are the NCAA Division III MenSA国际影视传媒檚 Hockey Championship winners for 2023 after beating Adrian College of Michigan 3-2 in sudden-death on Sunday in Beverly, Massachusetts. The championship goal came with a little more than five minutes to go in the extra frame and set off some wild scenes at the Raymond J. Bourque Arena.

SA国际影视传媒淲hen we saw that puck go in the back of the net, it was absolute excitement,SA国际影视传媒� said Bulger on Thursday. SA国际影视传媒淲e worked hard the entire game and it was an amazing finish. ISA国际影视传媒檓 so proud of the way we did it.SA国际影视传媒�

Hobart opened the scoring in the first period at the 7:24 mark and doubled their lead four minutes later. Adrian got one back on the power-play less than a minute later and would tie it late in the third, but Hobart wouldnSA国际影视传媒檛 be denied in bonus hockey.

The Statesmen play in the New England Hockey Conference and finished with an overall record of 29 wins and two losses. They ended up winning the conference playoff with three straight victories, giving them an automatic entry into the championship tournament.

In the national championship, they started out by beating Curry College of Massachusetts, 5-1, on March 18 and followed that up by beating the host school, Endicott College, on March 24 by a score of 3-1.

SA国际影视传媒淲e were ranked no. 1 for most of the season and we wanted to make sure we finished off with a win,SA国际影视传媒� said Bulger. SA国际影视传媒淥ur goal at the start of the season was to get to the national championship tournament, but it was an amazing season and we played really well together.SA国际影视传媒�

Bulger, 21, is in his freshman season with the Statesmen after finishing his junior hockey career last season with the Waywayseecappo Wolverines of the Manitoba Junior Hockey League. He was the top defenceman in the league offensively last season with 12 goals and 49 assists for 61 points. This season, Bulger played in 19 games and had two assists over that time.

He said making the jump from junior to college wasnSA国际影视传媒檛 a hard one.

SA国际影视传媒淚 wouldnSA国际影视传媒檛 say the style of hockey is different compared to junior,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淭hereSA国际影视传媒檚 more skill out there, for sure, but it wasnSA国际影视传媒檛 a very hard transition to make for me, personally. The biggest transition was getting back into school because I graduated from high school three years ago.SA国际影视传媒�

Before playing junior, Bulger spent three years playing high school hockey at Shattuck-St. MarySA国际影视传媒檚 in Minnesota; his sister, Regan Bulger, played at the same high school. SheSA国际影视传媒檚 also made the transition to collegiate hockey as part of the womenSA国际影视传媒檚 team at St. Cloud State in Minnesota.

SA国际影视传媒淚 talk with my sister about hockey, but we donSA国际影视传媒檛 really talk about school too much,SA国际影视传媒� said Lonan.

He plans on returning to Hobart for his sophomore season and he said a repeat is definitely on his mind.

SA国际影视传媒淚tSA国际影视传媒檚 going to be hard to do it, but I think weSA国际影视传媒檒l have the right guys to get back and do it again,SA国际影视传媒� he said.