The Rhode Island hockey player whose family was gunned down by his deranged trans father during one of his games last month scored the winning goal to send his team to the championship — as he honored his slain relatives.
Blackstone Valley School’s star captain Colin Dorgan netted the game-winning goal — in double overtime — Wednesday night in Providence before his Beavers teammates mobbed him on the ice, celebrating their berth to the Division II final.
The senior defenseman, wearing a patch on his uniform with the initials of his mother, brother and grandfather, called it “the greatest moment of my life,” according to WPRI.
Dorgan, who attends North Providence High School but plays for the Blackstone Valley co-op team, found himself in an offensive position and took a leading pass into a breakaway before sniping the puck past the goalie with 48 seconds left in double overtime.
“My good buddy fed me the puck, and I could hear the crowd. It was a surreal moment,” Dorgan told the outlet after the game.
While his teammates mobbed Dorgan, Blackstone Valley School’s head coach Chris Librizzi was overcome with emotion.
“I literally cried like a baby, the floodgates opened,” Librizzi said. “When I saw him open, I knew he was golden.”
Dorgan was on the ice at the Dennis M. Lynch Arena in Pawtucket on Feb. 16 when his father, Robert Dorgan, opened fire in the stands, killing his ex-wife, Rhonda Dorgan; their adult son, Aidan Dorgan; and his ex-father-in-law, Gerald Dorgan.
Gerald’s wife, Linda, and family friend Thomas Geruso were both critically wounded in the shooting.
The crazed gunman, who identified as transgender and also went by Roberta Esposito, then turned the gun on himself.
After the shooting, it was revealed that the 56-year-old gunman had recently undergone gender reassignment, and his trans identity and unhinged personality were a source of multiple family court battles leading up to the shooting.
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The maniac gunman had also shared surnames with his in-laws because he and his ex-wife, who married in 1992, were first-cousins once removed.
Colin Dorgan praised his teammates for supporting him after the unimaginable loss he experienced last month.
“We have to stick together,” he said. “It’s a hard time for everyone. We have each other’s back, and we truly love each other. These are my brothers.”
Librizzi revealed he took in Dorgan and his sister, Ava, after they lost their family in the tragic shooting.
“We got together every single day,” Librizzi said. “We skated, worked out, or had dinner at night together for 14 days straight. I believe that made a difference.”
Fans inside the Schneider Arena at Providence College erupted with joy after Dorgan’s goal.
The overtime hero acknowledged the fanatics during his celebration, posing with his arms wide open, mouthing “Let’s go,” after the win, according to video from WPRI.
“I know every person out there loves me, and I love them, too,” Dorgan said.
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