Dexter Back in Final Four

With a 3-2 overtime victory over Pomfret on Thursday night, the (24-3) hockey team found its way back into the Final Four of the NEPSAC Tournament for the third straight season.

Quite a feat for a team who just four years ago was about as far away from the championship round has you could possibly be.

Dexter was a three-win team before Dan Donato came in and changed the hockey culture at the school. Before the program wouldn’t schedule New England powerhouses like Phillips Andover, St. Paul’s or Belmont Hill.

Today, Donato’s team is not only playing those teams, but also beating them.

“If you told me three years ago that we would be competing, nevermind winning, I thought that may have been a stretch at the time,” said Donato. “It’s sometimes fun being the underdog school, where people want to come and make a difference.”

Donato spent several years at Salisbury School with great success. He won a New England championship in 2005 with the school and sent several of his players to the Division 1 ranks in the sport of hockey.

But he doesn’t think that his pedigree alone has brought some of the best players to his program.

“I’ve been very fortunate to have a great school with great leaders who have supported the mission with what we are trying to accomplish,” said Donato. “Our goal is to be as competitive as our peer schools in the area.

“There are so many great kids in the area.”

Dexter has been led by a veteran front line that includes John Magliozzi and Nick Bligh, who are in the top 10 in scoring in New England, and Pat Curtis. Kevin Gree, meanwhile, has been a solid contributor in between the pipes for Dexter.

“(Green) has the ability to take over a game and has done so the last couple of years in the playoffs,” said Donato. “If you have him going we are in pretty good shape.”

Dexter, who has appeared in the finals once in the past three years but has never taken the whole thing home, needed some good fortune on Thursday to get into the Final Four again. Donato said that a disputed goal by Pomfret — who defeated Dexter 6-2 earlier in the year — was called off, allowing Shane Rinkus to cap off the win with an overtime goal.

“Both teams had great chances,” he said. “It was a fun game to watch, unless you were coaching in it.”

Dexter will take on Tilton on Saturday at 11:30 in Salem, N.H. in the Final Four. If Dexter wins, it will play for a chance at a championship on Sunday.