Win Propels Red Devils Back Into North Hockey Final

The Red Devils have been there. Now they're hoping to do it again.

Burlington High School, the defending Division 1 state champion, is within one game of playing at TD Garden to defend its title after beating Melrose, 3-0, in the North Division 1 semifinal on Thursday night.

Thanks to the victory, the Red Devils will take on Winchester on Monday night in the North Division 1 final. The winner plays the South champion for the state championship.

"It is going to be really important that we use that experience to our advantage when we go up against Winchester," said head coach Bob Conceison.

J.P. Scola, who missed seven games earlier in the season, opened the scoring in the first period. In the second period, Scola assisted on a C.J. Grinnell goal while Sean Murphy chipped in an empty netter to seal the win.

Burlington toppled Middlesex opponents Woburn and Melrose to reach the title game, and on Monday at 8 p.m. inside Lowell's Tsongas Center, they'll face another one in Winchester. The Red Devils' mentor said it's that strong competition throughout the year in the Middlesex League that prepares the team for the postseason.

"You have to play well, and you grind it out for 21 games in the regular season," said Conceison. "That's why the teams do well when they get here."

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