NASHUA – While most of New England rejoiced when the Boston Bruins advanced to the Stanley Cup Final this season, Dan Shaughnessy was nervous.

Shaughnessy, a sports columnist at The Boston Globe for over 30 years, anxiously awaited the release of the Finals schedule with hope that Game 7 – which he would’ve had to work for the Globe – wouldn’t fall on June 27.

Fortunately for Shaughnessy and the Nashua Police Athletic League, it didn’t, and the worst that could happen would be Shaughnessy making a quick turnaround from Chicago to Nashua in one day to attend the PAL Sports Dinner at Conway Arena on Thursday.

However, the Bruins’ season ended Monday and Shaughnessy was in attendance to accept his 2013 PAL of the Year award.

“We had all those things in play and when the finals schedule came out I was worried that Game 7 was going to be in Chicago today, then you’re on the edge of your seat,” Shaughnessy said. “It’s hard to schedule. I was honored to do it. I’m happy to be asked, and I’m at big believer of all the things here: Youth sports, cops, Nashua. So I’m a good candidate.”

PAL is a non-profit corporation, founded in 1989, that aims to create positive relationships between Nashua’s youth, particularly those considered at-risk, and the police through sports and other activities. Thursday’s event was meant to recognize those involved and their achievements over the past year in one night.

“It is an opportunity for PAL to celebrate its great athletes, its great volunteers and its great corporate supporters,” said Joe Laplante, PAL gymnasium director and a federal judge for the United States District Court of New Hampshire. “It’s a way to do that in one night in an athletic environment. … It’s a night for PAL to put its best foot forward for the community and celebrate its accomplishments and its great people.”

Shaughnessy, originally from Groton, Mass., was relatively unfamiliar with PAL when he was first offered the award. But his ties to the Nashua area – he has family in Hollis and Hudson and his brother-in-law, the late Don Marquis, was a longtime history department chairman at Nashua High School – and his appreciation for the police and youth sports made him proud to receive it.

“I love this place, I love the cops – I’m a big fan of the cops,” Shaughnessy said. “So I’m a big believer.”

PAL also took the time to recognize its Athletes of the Year on Thursday, including Nevan Roy for football; Kelsi Cara for cheerleading; Noah Bellomo for boys cross country; Lauren Robinson for girls cross country; Bryce Landry for boxing; and Seth Moore as its Junior PAL of the Year.

PAL also named Jessica Coughlin its Volunteer of the Year, Maureen MacKay its Coach of the Year and former Telegraph publisher Terry Williams its Journalist of the Year.