Rejecting pleas for leniency, a judge sentenced Thomas Junta, the Massachusetts hockey dad convicted of manslaughter in the beating death of another father, to six to 10 years in prison Friday morning.

Judge Charles Grabau handed down the stiff sentence, twice the length suggested by state guidelines, after an emotional proceeding in his Cambridge court in which the victim's children tearfully described his killing.

"I still remember being hysterical trying to wake him up as the blood streamed down his face," said 14-year-old Brendan Costin of his father, Michael. "I realized I had just witnessed my dad literally beat to death."

Costin's children display a framed collage of pictures labeled "Daddy."

Junta, a 44-year-old truck driver and father of two, was convicted earlier this month of the involuntary manslaughter of Costin, the informal referee of a July 2000 hockey game involving the sons of both men. Junta, angry over the way Costin was policing on-ice roughness, pinned him to the floor of the Burbank Ice Arena and punched him repeatedly. Costin, a single father raising four children, died from his injuries a day later.

The jury rejected Junta's claim that he was acting in self-defense after Costin attacked him.

The killing is considered the worst example of "sideline rage," and Junta's lawyer, Thomas Orlandi, acknowledged Friday that his client was a "poster boy" and "national symbol of parental rage." Junta garnered enormous support in his community, and more than 150 people from around the world wrote letters to Grabau pleading for leniency.

Junta's lawyer had asked for a suspended sentence with no jail time, saying the death resulted from "a mutual combat between two men." Grabau dismissed a sentence without prison time as "unrealistic" and adopted the prosecutor's recommendation which he called "most generous." Costin's family had pushed for the maximum penalty, 20 years.

Brendan Costin, 14, turns away in tears while listening to his brother, Michael, address the court. His aunt, Mary Barbuzzi, is next to him.

The judge said he briefly considered meting out a tougher punishment and seemed especially angry by what he called "disingenuous" descriptions of Junta's character by the defense. Junta's lawyers had painted him as a "gentle giant," large in stature but quiet and devoted to his family, while they described Costin, a man with a lengthy criminal record and some psychiatric problems, as the instigator of the altercation.

Grabau, who kept evidence against Costin's character out of the trial as irrelevant, suggested that the portrayals were misleading. He pointed to a 1991 fight between Junta and his wife, Michelle, at the wedding of Junta's brother. The judge read from a domestic violence complaint in which Michelle Junta said her husband was "hitting me continuously" as their two children watched.

Although Junta was never convicted of domestic violence, the judge said the incident was a troubling indication. Costin's death, he said, "was not the first time Mr. Junta struck another adult in front of minor children."

He also chided the defense for submitting letters from Junta supporters who attacked Costin's character.

"These references cheapen the value of human life," Grabau said.

The judge, however, made it clear that the sentence was specific to the facts of Junta's case, and not an attempt to send a national message about parental violence in youth sports.

"My sentence is not meant to be a message to anyone in the outside world," Grabau said.

Junta wiped tears from his eyes as his lawyer read from letters he had written to his children. His lawyer said the children were too distraught to attend court.

As they have done in the past, Costin's relatives disputed the negative portrait of him. His mother, Joan, said her 40-year-old son was a "ray of hope" for his children. Surrounded by Brendan, Michael, 13, Sean, 12, and Tara, 10, she said her son was incredibly shy and had taken classes to help him be more outgoing so he could be a better parent.

Michael Costin told Grabau, "No matter how much of a sentence that you give Thomas Junta, my dad got more. My dad will never be back to me and my family. Thomas Junta will be back to his family."

"Do not allow him to get out of prison and ruin another family's life," he said.

Only Augustine Costin, the victim's father, spoke directly to Junta.

"Let the hatred go by," he said. "Don't worry about what the judge says today, Mr. Junta ... worry about the judge upstairs is going to say. That's eternity."

After the sentence was formally imposed, Junta waved to his wife and then was escorted from court by bailiffs. Immediately after the sentencing, his lawyer said they planned an appeal.