The Patriots lost to the Coventry Knotty Oakers  in Game 2 of the Division-II State Championship hockey playoffs, at Providence College’s Schneider Arena Saturday afternoon,  by a score of 4-2.  It was the Oakers’ second win in the best of three game series, and the team was awarded the State title in a ceremony at the completion of the game.  Portsmouth which finished the regular season with the second best record among the 18 teams in the league, was not able to get by Coventry to force a Game 3 in the series, and was awarded State Runner-up.

Coventry got off to a fast start in the first period, scoring first at 1:02 after the initial faceoff.  The Oakers followed that goal with a second tally at 9:04 to put the Patriots down by two.  In addition to jumping off to a quick lead, the Oakers held Portsmouth to only two shots the entire period.  Coventry carried the two goal lead into the first intermission.

The Oakers came out strong in the second period, just as they had in the first.  At just under three minutes into the period, Coventry netted their third goal of the game.  Although it appeared that the momentum was all with the Oakers, the Patriots made sure that was not the case.  Portsmouth rallied and began to take the play to Coventry.  The team outshot the Oakers  in the period 10-6 and generated several very good scoring chances, but the Coventry goal tender was solid in the net and continued to blank the Patriots.  At the second intermission Coventry was ahead 3-0, and the Patriots had turned up the pressure.

Despite exceptional play by Portsmouth, Coventry struck once again early in the third period.  At 2:56 Oakers sniper Nick Paiva scored his second goal of the game.  With Coventry up 4-0, the Patriots continued to attack the Oakers zone.  The team’s efforts finally paid off when, only 11 seconds after Coventry scored, Chris Oliveira and Matt Harrigan assisted on a goal by team Captain Matt Abraham at 3:07.  Portsmouth closed to within two goals, 25 seconds later, when Henry Lang, assisted by Kyle Alvanas, beat the Oakers net minder high on the stick side.  With that second goal at 3:32 of the third period the momentum had shifted to the Patriots.  Coventry tightened up their defense, though, and despite several more good scoring opportunities for the Patriots, the team was unable to convert any of them onto the scoreboard.  Portsmouth outshot Coventry 9-6 in the period, and held a 21-19 edge in shots for the entire game, but when the buzzer sounded to end the contest the score was 4-2 in favor of the Oakers.

In the post game ceremony, Team Captains Matt Abraham, Eric Eaken, and Mike Maggiacomo, along with Head Coach Mike Monahan accepted a plaque for the team’s finish as the State Division-II Runner-up.  Following that each player was announced by name and skated over to receive an individual medal from the League.