BELMONT, Mass. — Summer hockey is in the books, as the 2026 Premier Prep League season came to a close on Wednesday night at Belmont's Skip Viglirolo Rink.
It came down to Team Grey against Team White in the championship tilt.
Unlike many summer hockey games, the PPL final was intense and tightly contested from the start. After a tight-checking, scoreless opening half, Team Grey pulled away in the second half for a 4-1 win and the title.
Wednesday's action offered one final opportunity to stay sharp with Labor Day showcases and the fall season right around the corner.
Let's dive into nine standouts from the PPL championship.
Brooke Carlson
Governor’s/Valley Junior Warriors, 01/2009, F, left shot, 5-8
Hometown: North Andover, Mass.
Carlson was mostly on a line with Lana Hardin and Isabel Previte, and the trio created quality chances on practically every shift. Carlson created plenty of offense off the rush and got rewarded with a pair of goals. She opened the scoring early in the second half, driving hard to the net and burying the loose puck after the defense lost track of Hardin's rebound. Later, Carlson nearly returned the favor with a perfect backdoor pass for Hardin on a 2-on-1 that wouldn't go. Earlier, she nearly set up Charlotte Cohen on a similar play, but Riley Pike made an excellent play to break it up.
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Lauren Dockray
Governor’s/Valley Jr. Warriors, 2009, D, right shot, 5-5
Hometown: North Andover, Mass.
Dockray was mostly on a pair with Katie Millet, as the two had a strong night. Dockray played with plenty of jump from the start, making strong pinches at the blue line, making heads-up plays and choosing her spots well when activating into the offense. She got a Grade-A look at the right dot after anticipating a breakout pass at the point, easily stealing and closing in for a shot.
Maddie Perkins
Thayer/East Coast Wizards, 4/7/2010, F, left shot
Hometown: Milton, Mass.
Perkins had a ton of energy and played an up-tempo game through the neutral zone and off the forecheck. She nearly came through with a quick answer for White after Carlson's goal. Perkins gained a step on her defender with some powerful strides before shielding the puck on her backhand as she drove to the net to try to stuff it home. She eventually broke through with the equalizer moments later. White was off to the races, almost getting a 3-on-0 off a broken play out high. Perkins kept it and buried a heavy wrister from the left circle.
Julia Alessandro
St. Paul's/Boston Junior Eagles, 7/15/2010, G, catches left, 5-4
Hometown: Providence, R.I.
Alessandro got the first half of the game for Team Grey, and she was rock solid between the pipes. She set the tone early with a strong save on Maddy Call through a screen after Call forced a turnover at the dot. Later, Alessandro made her best save of the night, coming out to challenge Liz Levering after she split the defense. Levering had no daylight as she tried to go short-side.
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Ella Puleo
Brooks/Boston Americans, Class of 2027, G, catches left
Hometown: Newburyport, Mass.
Puleo followed up Alessandro's strong effort by slamming the door shut on Team White in the second half. She set the tone herself when she stoned Perkins' drive to the net immediately following Grey's opening goal, and she followed it up with a sweet glove save on Call from the left circle on a counter rush. Puleo's best save of the game came as White made a late push down a pair. Pike fed Caroline McGowan at the left circle on a 2-on-1, and Puleo made a huge left-to-right push to snare her shot with the glove.
Megan Carlson
Governor’s/Valley Junior Warriors, 01/2009, D, left shot, 5-7
Hometown: North Andover, Mass.
Carlson got it done in all three zones with her ability to kill plays in her own end and immediately get the play going the other way. She made an excellent poke check to stop Reese Engel in her tracks on a drive to the net. With the rush headed the other way, Carlson made a beeline up the middle for a give-and-go with Abigail Burke to break in 1-on-1. The play was barely offside, but it would have led to a Grade-A chance for Carlson. Later, wheeling around the tops of the circles with her head up on a regroup, she whipped a perfect stretch pass up the middle to send Previte in for a breakaway. Carlson got rewarded with the empty-netter after intercepting a pass at center ice.
Riley Pike
Tabor/Boston Junior Eagles, 9/19/2009, D, left shot, 5-8
Hometown: Topsfield, Mass.
Pike defended with good gaps, used her strength effectively and had an active stick defending the rush. She played the body well to win 1-on-1 matchups, too. One of her best defensive plays was when she tied up Cohen at the far post, doing just enough to prevent a surefire tap-in from Brooke Carlson on a 2-on-1. Pike later set up one of White's best looks of the night when she won a race for a loose puck and broke in on a 2-on-1, feeding McGowan for a chance.
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Lana Hardin
Governor’s/Assabet Valley, 2009, F, right shot, 5-4
Hometown: Tyngsboro, Mass.
A strong night for the Governor's contingent continued with Hardin, who finished with a goal and an assist. She fed well off Brooke Carlson and Previte. She and Previte combined for a beauty to make it 2-1. Hardin turned defense into offense, sending Previte in with a slick saucer pass to create a 1-on-1. Hardin hustled toward the open space in the slot for the return feed from Previte before going forehand-backhand to the top left corner.
Brooke Fallon
Cushing/East Coast Wizards, 5/24/2009, F, left shot, 5-4
Hometown: Bedford, N.H.
I caught the end of Wednesday's first game between Team Black and Team Light Blue ahead of the final. Fallon, who missed last season with a torn ACL, looked as sharp as ever. She played with pace, took pucks to the net and delivered hard, accurate passes that led teammates into open space through the neutral zone. She and Nora Swaim (Concord, Mass.) had good chemistry and combined for some good looks as time wound down.
