After losing Game 1 in the semi-final round of the D-II State Championship Tournament Friday night to the Prout Crusaders, it was do-or-die for Portsmouth Saturday evening in Game 2.  With their backs to the wall, the Patriots knew they had to win in order to force a third game in the best of three series;  a loss would mean the end of the season for the team.  No doubt there were questions as to how the squad would play after the previous night’s drubbing at the hands of the Crusaders.  Those questions were quickly put to rest.  Once the game began the team did what it had to do; it played Prout hard and stayed in contention the entire game.  In the end, the contest took two overtime periods and eight players in a subsequent shootout, before an unexpected young player stepped up and scored the winning goal for the Patriots.

The teams faced off before a capacity crowd at the Abbey.  Both the Patriots’ and Crusaders’ fans were well represented and enthusiastic.  Throughout the first period, the teams played each other evenly.  Each side generated good scoring opportunities, while both goalies kept everything that was fired at them out of their nets.  With only 20 seconds remaining in the period, Prout notched the first goal of the game and carried the 1-0 lead into the first intermission. 

In second period action, the teams continued to play each other aggressively and both net minders remained solid between the pipes.  When the period came to an end, the score remained 1-0 and both teams were very much in the game.

Portsmouth continued to pressure the Crusaders as the final regulation period began.  Just over two minutes after the initial faceoff, Kyle Alvanas took a pass from Myles Arkins and broke into the Crusaders’ zone.  As he raced past the Prout defense he closed on the net and fired a point blank shot from the left side that beat the Crusaders’ goaltender to earn the Patriots first goal of the game.  The goal, at the 2:11 mark, evened the score and changed the complexion of the contest.  Portsmouth was in the game and had new momentum.

As the team kept up its strong play at both ends of the ice, Matt Maggiacomo, in the goal crease for Portsmouth, continued his excellent performance in holding the Crusaders at bay.  At 6:13 with the Patriots pressuring Prout deep in the Crusaders’ zone, Chris Oliveira controlled the puck and passed it toward the front of the net from the bottom of the left circle.  As the puck neared the goal, and about a foot off the ice, Matthew Harrigan one-timed it hard into the back of the net.  The Patriots had the lead for the first time in the game.

Play continued in the third period as it had throughout the game, with both teams playing aggressively in all three zones.  As the clock began to wind down on the game, Prout was able to get the puck into the Patriots’ end of the ice.  With only one minute remaining, Portsmouth was called for icing when it cleared the puck from its zone.  The resulting faceoff in the Patriots end, allowed Prout to pull its goalie to add an extra attacker on the ice.  After calling time-out to talk about their strategy, Prout lined up six skaters to Portsmouth’s five, and won the subsequent face off.  The Crusaders controlled the puck, worked it in the zone, and succeeded in tying the game with 47 seconds remaining in regulation time.  Although both teams continued to press right up to the buzzer that ended the period, neither scored again and the contest was sent to overtime.

Overtime rules in the playoffs differ slightly from those of the regular season.  During the season, teams that are tied at the end of regulation time, play a single five minute overtime period to see if a winner can be generated.  If the score is still even at the end of five minutes of extra play the game is logged as a tie.  Since the playoffs cannot have ties, the rules are different.  When the score is tied after three periods of play, the teams play a seven and a half minute overtime period.  If neither team scores, a second seven and a half minute overtime period is played.  If a winner has not been determined after those two periods, the game resorts to a shootout to determine the winner.

Skating four-on-four, Portsmouth stepped up its play everywhere on the ice in overtime.  Where Prout had outshot the Patriots 31-19 in regulation, Portsmouth had a decisive edge in the overtime sessions outshooting the Crusaders 15-8.  There were many quality shots and good scoring opportunities for the Patriots as they carried the play to their opponent.  Prout’s net minder, Zane Morgan, made a number of terrific saves to keep his team in the game.  Likewise, Maggiacomo turned back every shot he faced.  At the end of the two overtime periods the contest was still tied and headed to the shootout.

In the shootout each team selects five players to alternate taking penalty shots.  The team scoring the most goals with those five players wins the game.  If the teams are still tied after the initial five skaters have shot, the shootout resorts to single pairs of players, one from each team, taking their chances one-on-one with the opponent’s goalie.  The first shooter in a pair to score when his counterpart does not, wins the game for his team.

Both teams’ coaches, naturally, sent out the initial five players they thought had the best opportunity to score in a shootout.  Interestingly, all were not the top goal scorers on their respective teams.  It was determined that Prout would shoot first throughout the session, followed by Portsmouth.  The Crusaders’ Matt Peacock shot first and was stopped by goaltender Matt Maggiacomo for Portsmouth.  Matthew Harrigan led off for the Patriots but his shot was stopped by Zane Morgan.  Next up were each team’s top goal scorers in the regular season; Connor Haggerty for Prout and Chris Oliveira for Portsmouth.  Both players showed why they were the leading goal-getters for their squads as each beat their opponent in the crease.  Through two of the five skaters, the teams were tied at one goal each.  Next up for the Crusaders was forward Justin Mateus, who had scored both of his team’s goals during the game.  He was matched with Pat Spero from the Patriots.  Neither player scored, leaving the shootout still tied.  The Crusaders sent Aaron Deady out next and was paired with Portsmouth defenseman Dallas Wynegar.  Deady beat Maggiacomo, but his squad’s lead was immediately negated by Wynegar who rang up Morgan to keep everything even.  The final skaters of the initial five were Derrick Barlow for Prout and Kyle Alvanas for Portsmouth.  Neither player scored and the shootout, still tied at two goals each, moved into individual pairs going until one player scored and other did not.

First up in the sudden death phase, Prout sent Dean Bogda, and Portsmouth lined up Myles Arkins.  When each of them failed to score, Prout’s Michael Reilly and the Patiots’ Ryan Goulart went out and both came back unsuccessful, as well.  Moving into the eighth pair of the shootout, sophomore defenseman Nyle Sockbeson stepped onto the ice for Pout.  He picked up the puck at the center faceoff spot, skated in on the Portsmouth net, shot, and was stoned by Maggiacomo.

Back on the Patriots bench, Head Coach Mike Monahan turned to Matt Alexander, and asked if he wanted to give the shootout a try.  Alexander, a freshman forward, had seen only limited play time this season, and had not skated a shift in the game that was still underway, and undecided.  His enthusiastic response earned him the chance to have a go at Morgan, and an opportunity to win the game for his team.  And win it he did as his shot ripped past the Crusaders goal keeper, sending the Patriots and their fans into a wild celebration.

During the regulation game and overtime periods Prout outshot Portsmouth 39-34.  Maggiacomo had 32 saves, and additionally stopped six of eight shots in the shootout to collect the win for his team.  The Patriots did not score on either of their two power play opportunities, and killed four penalties without surrendering a goal to the Crusaders.  All of the penalties for both teams came during the first three periods of play.

The win by the Patriots forces a third game in the semi-final series.  That contest will be played tomorrow, Monday, March 12, at 7:00 PM at the Boss Arena on the campus of the University of Rhode Island.  The game will decide which team moves on to face the Coventry Knotty Oakers in the D-II State championship finals.  Both teams will be putting it all out on the ice Monday night; it is certain to be another exciting game.   

The Patriots can use all the support in the stands that they can get.  Make a point to get to the game tomorrow evening.  Bring your family.  Tell your friends.  Fill the stands.  Come out and cheer for your Portsmouth High School Hockey Team.