Sean Gibbons, who had the game-winning goal for the Brunswick School hockey team in its regular season finale against Deerfield, was the last-minute hero once again for the Bruins in the opening round of the NEPSIHA Large School Tournament.

Gibbons, a sophomore, batted in a power play goal from just above the crease with 18 seconds remaining in the third period, giving top-seeded Brunswick a 4-3 victory against eighth-seeded Berkshire this afternoon at Hartong Rink in the NEPSIHA Large School Tournament quarterfinals. 

After a scoreless 18 minutes, the floodgates opened a bit in the second, with the Bears getting the first on a breakaway and the Bruins responding by winning shift after shift until junior captain James Shannon and classmate Lucas St. Louis put the home team ahead, while on the power play.

Berkshire tied it before Brunswick’s Jake Minella tipped a shot home after a nice rush by Connor Eschricht and shot by Casey Quinson.  

The visitors netted the equalizer just three minutes into the final stanza and drew two penalties, putting the Bruins on the ropes. One crossbar was all they could muster. 

The Bruins got a power play of their own that would have gone to the end of regulation — but Gibbons sent the bench (and the regulars behind the net) into an uproar. 

With the victory, Brunswick moves on to the semifinals against either Northfield Mount Hermon or Noble and Greenough. Brunswick will host the semifinal-round Saturday at a time to be announced