MIDDLETON – After falling short by one goal in each of the last three Pete Frates Winter Classic championship games, the No. 3 Pope Francis boys hockey team took its turn to hoist the trophy Saturday night at Essex Sports Center with a 4-1 win over No. 2 St. John’s Prep.

A pair of power-play goals proved the difference for the Cardinals (5-1), using one of them as part of three unanswered goals over the last 20 minutes after the Eagles tied the score early in the second period. All four goals came from different scorers, anchored by a goal and assist each from Nick Burns and Joe Orszulak.

Senior goalie Nick Ritchie had a strong showing in net with 33 saves, staving off several waves of heavy pressure from St. John’s Prep to maintain a slim lead until Matt Regan’s empty-net goal with 28.5 seconds left sealed a signature win with early but heavy implications.

“We know it doesn’t matter how many kids graduate, right, St. John’s Prep is always going to be one of the top two or three teams in the state without fail,” said Pope Francis head coach Brian Foley. “That was a great game. I was proud of my guys. … There’s a lot of good teams in the state, there’s a lot of parity. This is a team we’re probably going to see again.”

St. John’s Prep head coach Kristian Hanson was pleased with how the Eagles played at full strength, allowing just one goal up until the empty-netter when they stayed out of the box. Across St. John’s Prep’s four penalties, though, it struggled to contain Pope Francis.

Pope Francis’ Mason Gautreau, left, checks St. John’s Prep’s Braeden Hurley to the ice during the first period. Pope Francis won the Pete Frates title with a 4-1 win. (Photo by Paul Connors/Media News Group/Boston Herald)

Following a scoreless opening 14 minutes, in which the Cardinals’ forecheck helped it generate several quality looks against Eagles goalie AJ Farese (24 saves), the visitors needed only eight seconds in their second power play to get on the board. Farese staved off most of a flurry around the net with two quick saves, but Burns powered in the second rebound for a 1-0 lead late in the first period.

Brandon Ward tied the score at 1-1 for St. John’s Prep early in the second by tipping home Kevin Correa’s shot from the point, though a miscue in its defensive zone led to a Troy Hamelin goal for a 2-1 Cardinals lead late in the same frame. Then, less than four minutes into the third period, a perfect cross from Burns on the power play set up Orszulak for a one-timer and a 3-1 lead.

“Unreal pass by Nick Burns and a great one-time by Joe Orszulak,” Foley said. “Couldn’t execute it any better. That was a high-level play, and it was great to see. Those guys have been moving the puck good.”

The Eagles generated plenty of offensive opportunities in response throughout, including a 15-shot third period in hopes of clawing back. Between their inability to get the puck on net during a couple waves of pressure around the goal at the end of the second period, and Ritchie’s prowess otherwise, Pope Francis held on.

“Nick’s a veteran, right,” Foley said. “He’s been in big moments and we’re very confident with him. It’s a good place to start when you have a goalie that you can rely on. … He’s a big part of the team.”