Arlington, Norwood Gain Final-March 17, 1968

By KEVIN WALSH Boston Globe Staff Reporter

A couple of little guys, Rich Donovan and Kent Davison, set up a rematch of last year’s state hockey tournament final Saturday afternoon before 11,476 at Boston Garden. Donovan’s third-period goal allowed Norwood to edge Hingham, 1-0, in the semifinal round of the Eastern Mass. Hockey Tournament.

In the other pairing, Davison scored with 13 seconds remaining in the first period to give defending state champion Arlington a 1-0 victory over top-seeded Needham. The two teams meet Monday night at Boston Garden to determine the Eastern Mass. Champion. Under the Hockey Tourney new format, the State Champion will be crowned next Saturday afternoon when the East meets the West. Only the goal-tending of junior Tom Hutchinson prevented Norwod from making a runaway affair of its game with Hingham.

. Norwood took command of things in the second period only to be frustrated by Hutchinson. The little goalie made 13 saves in the period and allowed his Hingham teammates to enter the final period even. This set the stage for Donovan’s fourth game-winning goal of the season. Norwood was pressing at the time when John Ranalli stole the puck in the corner from the Hingham defense and sent a centering pass to Donovan.

Donovan and Tom Taylor moved in alone on the Hingham goalie. Donovan held on to the puck and lifted a backhander into the upper corner for the winning goal. It was the third straight tournament game that Donovan has scored.

“I don’t know what happened,” admitted the 135 pounder as he got dressed after the game. “The puck came to me and 1 just tried to go for the corner. “The puck went in, that is all I was trying to do.” It was an important goal for Donovan who is a transfer student from Catholic Memorial But he just shook it off. Sharing the spotlight with Donovan was senior goalie Neil Higgins. The All Scholastic net-minder registerad his secend straight tournament shutout and upped his season total to 12. He had 14 saves.