With their best record in over 15 years, 14-3-5, the boys’ hockey team is headed to the Central Mass finals for the first time since 2000.

Algonquin took on their rival, Shrewsbury, Tuesday March 8 in the Central Mass semi-finals hoping to come out on top after losing to them in playoffs two times in the past three seasons.

At the end of the three periods the game was tied 2-2 with goals from sophomore Dennis Achkinazi and senior captain Alex DiPadua.

The game progressed into two intense scoreless overtimes, resulting in a shoot-out. Shooting for the T-Hawks were DiPadua, freshman Ryan Decker, and, with the game winning shot, senior Ian Kosovsky. Captain, goalie, and senior Mike Tascione was on fire, letting nothing past him.

“Shoot-outs are always a nerve racking way to end a game but I felt confident going in knowing we had the upper hand. We also had Mike Tascione, the brick wall, behind me,” Kosovsky said after defeating the number-one ranked team.

Tascione believes that their success this season comes from working together.

“Everyone is really close and although we have a pretty even mix of players from different grades, we all get along really well, and I think that definitely has helped with our chemistry on ice,” Tascione said.

Although team chemistry is a strength, they, like any team, also have their weaknesses.

“Our consistency has been our biggest flaw this season,” Tascione said.

“We don’t always play to our full potential,” junior Andrew Tache agreed.

Working to overcome this in the postseason junior Alex Pietropaolo believes, “We need to come out playing one hundred percent at the beginning of the first [period].”

The boys pushed passed the Hudson Hawks in their first game of playoffs with a 2-1 victory on Wednesday March 2.

“Being a part of Algonquin hockey means doing what you love with people that you love. We win together and lose together,” Pietropaolo said.

The boys are set to take on second seeded Groton-Dunstable at the Wallace Civic Center in Fitchburg on Monday, March 14 at 7:30.