The pain of defeat, even in his first-ever NLL final, was obvious. The high-scoring forward desperately wanted to win a championship, so much so that he had played the title game with a separated shoulder that would later require surgery to repair.

Now a seven-year veteran, Dawson still has yet to earn an NLL ring. He’s come agonizingly close the past two years, losing the 2007 final by two goals and last year’s title contest by one.

And there’s a very real possibility that Dawson won’t get that close again, at least for a while. The 26-year-old is now the centerpiece of the expansion Boston Blazers, who selected him first overall in a league dispersal draft this past summer, and a .500 season is an optimistic goal for next year.

One might expect the Oakville native to be frustrated, to feel like his dream is moving farther and farther away. But, while he stresses the fire for a championship still burns within, Dawson is focused on another important objective these days.

“Lacrosse is greater than anything in my life,” said Dawson, who recently finalized his first contract with the Blazers. “When it’s all said and done, it’s not about the rings and it’s not about the money you made. I want to be known as someone who was a great ambassador to the sport of lacrosse.

“That’s the most important. If I can do my job on the field and, more importantly, off the field, I would be happy with that. I want to grow this game to the point where kids in the future are getting scholarships and getting a bit more money, to grow this sport nationwide.”

That’s the challenge for Dawson this upcoming season, particularly in a city that has grown accustomed to championship-calibre teams. The New England Patriots are arguably an NFL dynasty, the Boston Red Sox have won two of the past five World Series, and the Boston Celtics were crowned NBA champions in the spring. Surprisingly, even the Boston Bruins have been dominant so far this NHL season.

“It’s a sports town,” Dawson said of his new home. “All these guys do is talk sports, go to the bars and watch the games. When we do our promotions, people ask questions and are excited when we’re starting up. We just want the season to get underway so we can show them the kind of product the indoor game can produce. I’m hoping the fans can not only be fans of the Blazers, but also of the sport of lacrosse.”

Dawson will be a key part of that, thanks to his other job — a community relations co-ordinator for the Blazers. He’s already joined some of Boston’s high-profile athletes, like the Celtics’ Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen, at a charity bowling event earlier this month, and he plans to involve the Blazers in some programs with schools.

Dan will be joined in Boston by his brother Paul, who entered the league as a goalie several years ago but has successfully made the transition to defence-man. The two will be roommates this winter, living within walking distance of the TD Banknorth Garden.

The Blazers will play their first-ever game Jan. 10 in New York, and will host New York in their inaugural home opener Jan. 17.