It was supposed to be a normal hockey night for Colin Dorgan. But on February 16 at the Dennis M. Lynch Arena in Pawtucket, the game turned into a scene of unspeakable violence when his father opened fire in the stands. And just almost a month later, at the Schneider Arena, he delivered a performance of his career.

Jon Root on X reported that Dorgan scored the game-winning goal in double overtime against Portsmouth, sending his team to the Rhode Island Division II championship. The senior defenseman took a lead pass from a teammate, broke away toward the net, and slipped the puck past the goalie with just 48 seconds left in the second overtime period.

And the emotions were high around the arena. Blackstone Valley coach Chris Librizzi told reporters, “I literally cried like a baby, the floodgates opened. When I saw him open, I knew he was golden.”

Dorgan also joined in the press following the game, as he described the goal, stating, “My good buddy fed me the puck, and I could hear the crowd. It was a surreal moment.”

The goal carried weight far beyond the scoreboard. On February 16, Robert Dorgan, Colin’s father, who also identified as Roberta Esposito, opened fire in the stands. The hockey star’s mother, Rhonda Dorgan, and his brother, Aidan, were killed at the scene.

Colin’s grandfather, Gerald Dorgan, suffered critical wounds and died days later at the hospital. His grandmother, Linda, and family friend Thomas Geruso were also critically wounded but survived.

The gunman was subdued by bystanders before turning the weapon on himself. Police have not established an official motive, though court records indicate the shooter had tensions with the family members.

However, a disturbing range of violent incidents has marred the broader landscape of junior hockey in recent months.

The junior hockey scene is shrouded in controversies

Earlier in January, a nationally circulating video showed a brawl during a “Mites on Ice” intermission game at a Hershey Bears AHL contest, featuring players aged 8 and under throwing punches and tackling each other with no immediate intervention from adults.

The Atlantic Amateur Hockey Association called it a “staged fight” and launched an investigation, while the Hershey Bears stated the incident “did not reflect the values of the sport or the standards we expect when young athletes are on the ice.”

In Quebec, a 14-year-old player was allegedly assaulted by a teammate in a locker room after a game in September 2025, including having his head slammed against a concrete wall while being threatened with having his teeth knocked out.

The mother of the victim denounced what she called the lax response of hockey organizations, saying her son was initially expected to face his alleged attacker again before the Protector of Integrity in Leisure and Sport (PILS) intervened with a suspension.

These cases present persistent challenges in ensuring safety and sportsmanship at the junior levels of the sport.