Portsmouth delivered a strong finish to the regular season Saturday night, when it beat the Prout Crusaders by a score of 3-2 at the West Warwick Civic Center.  By winning the Patriots captured the season series with the D-II leading Crusaders three games to two.

The Patriots got off to a quick start when Matthew Harrigan scored at 1:54 of the first period.  Harrigan was assisted on the goal by line mate Chris Oliveira.  Portsmouth made it 2-0 at 11:21 when the same pair combined once again to beat the Crusaders’ net minder.  That time it was Oliveira finding the back of the Crusaders’ net with Harrigan assisting.

Despite the score, Prout had been playing hard and exerting good pressure on Portsmouth’s defense and goalie, Matt Maggiacomo, the entire game.  At 2:51 of the second period, while on a power play, the Crusaders scored their first goal of the game, and closed to within one of the Patriots.  For the remainder of the second period both teams continued to play well and generate good scoring chances, but both goaltenders locked down their nets.  The score in the game remained 2-1 in favor of the Patriots as the two teams headed for their locker rooms at the second intermission.

As the third period began, the action continued just as it had left off in the second stanza.  The Crusaders found the payoff at 5:02 when they got the puck past Maggiacomo to even the score at two goals apiece.  With just under five and a half minutes left in the game, Portsmouth found itself with a good opportunity to take the lead once again as the team went on a power play.  The man-advantage lasted only a little over a minute, though, before the Patriots found themselves with a player in the penalty box as well.  At 3:26 remaining in the game the Crusaders’ penalty expired and the team went on the power play for a minute and 12 seconds.  With about 30 seconds left to kill in the penalty, defenseman Dallas Wynegar cleared the puck deep into the Crusaders zone where Oliveira, on the fore-check, was able to control it behind the Prout net.  With some excellent skating and stickhandling Oliveira kept the puck away from the Crusaders until he stuffed it into the net on a left side wrap-around.  The goal, at 12:21 of the period, was Oliveira’s second shorthanded tally of the season.  Wynegar was awarded the assist on the goal that put Portsmouth ahead 3-2.  The Patriots successfully killed the remainder of the penalty and returned to full strength for the rest of the game.  Prout pulled its goalie for an extra skater in the last minute of the contest, but the Patriots handled the situation, and claimed the victory when the buzzer sounded to end the game.

Prout outshot Portsmouth in the game 37-25.  Maggiacomo had 35 saves and earned his eighth win of the season.  The Patriots had no goals in their four power play opportunities in the game.  The team gave up one goal in three penalty kill situations.

The win completed the regular season for the Patriots. The team’s record in league play, 10 wins / 4 losses / 2 ties / 2 overtime losses, places them third in D-II, behind first place Prout, and Middletown which finished in second place.  South Kingstown captured fourth place in the South subdivision to round out the playoff qualifiers.

There will be three rounds in the D-II playoff series, including the state championship.  Each series will be the best of three games.  Quarterfinal play is set to begin next Friday and Saturday, March 2 & 3.  A third games, if necessary, will be played on Monday March 5.  Playoff pairings will pit D-II South teams against their counterparts from D-II North, with first place in each subdivision playing fourth place in the other, and second place meeting third on the ice.  Teams will be confirmed and schedule specifics will be announced early next week.  Based on initial game reports it appears that Cumberland will earn second place in North and should be Portsmouth’s opponent in the first playoff round.  This is, of course, subject to confirmation by the League.  Check back here early next week for the official pairing and game schedule.