Portsmouth topped the Pilgrim Patriots 4-3 at the Abbey Sunday afternoon.  The overtime win was the team’s second victory of the weekend.

Portsmouth got off to a fast start scoring in the first minute of the game and then adding two more goals before the first intermission.  Pilgrim got one back with only 20 seconds remaining in the first period, but Portsmouth had played well and had a comfortable 3-1 lead when the period ended.  The Portsmouth Patriots soon found out, though, that the Pilgrim Patriots had not given up on the game.  Pilgrim got a goal in the second period and added another in the third to tie the game and send it to overtime.

About a minute into the extra session, Pilgrim was called for a tripping penalty and Portsmouth went on the power play.  With the man advantage Evan Alvanas fired a shot from the right side boards that was deflected into the net by Kevin Manning positioned in front of the goal crease.  The game winning goal was Manning’s second power play tally in two games. 

Each Patriots squad had 28 shots in the contest.  Ben Hood made 25 saves and recorded his second win of the season.  The game winning goal in overtime was scored on Portsmouth’s fifth power play of the game.  The Patriots gave up a single goal to Pilgrim on one of five penalty kills. In addition to Manning’s goal, the other Portsmouth scorers were ZZ Kirby, Kyle Alvanas, and Evan Alvanas.  Kyle McGowan, and Kyle Alvanas each earned an assist in the game, and Evan Alvanas was credited with two assists, giving him three points in the game.

The Patriots will play two games again next weekend.  The first is Friday, February 14 at 7:30 pm at the Levy Community Ice Center in Burrillville.  Portsmouth’s opponent for that contest will be the North Smithfield Northmen.  That game will be followed by a second game the next day, Saturday, February 15, at 6:00 pm at the Benny Mageira Ice Rink at the West Warwick Civic Center.  In that game the Patriots will face off against the Rogers Vikings in the second and final meeting of the season between the two teams.  Get to the games and cheer for the Patriots as the team works to add two more wins to the successes it had this past weekend.  See you at the rink.