There is always the question of how a team will recover after experiencing an overwhelmingly decisive defeat at the hands of an opponent, even when the opponent is very good to begin with.  Such was the situation as the Patriots faced a critical game with Narragansett Saturday evening after having been manhandled by North Smithfield on the previous night.

 

In addition to concern about the team’s ability to bounce back, there was the added pressure from the importance of the game itself.  The contest was one of only a handful of games remaining on the Division-2 schedule that would have a significant impact on the team seeding in the rapidly approaching playoffs.

 

Although the Patriots won the previous two games played with Narragansett this season, the Mariners had been a tough opponent.  In addition to their skill and grit, there was also, as Coach Monahan explained, the tremendous challenge of beating any team three times in a single season.  Nothing was taken for granted as the team approached the game.

 

When the puck was dropped for the opening faceoff, any doubts about the Patriots ability to put the recent past behind them and deal with the task at hand, were quickly dispelled.  Playing, one of its best games of the season, Portsmouth defeated the Narragansett Mariners 2-1 at the Warburton Ice Arena.

 

Despite controlling a good portion of the play in the first period, and even going on a power play, Portsmouth was held to just four shots on goal.  At the other end of the ice the Mariners poured in 12 shots, the majority of them coming over a span of two minutes and thirty seconds at the end of the period while the Patriots played shorthanded with men in the penalty box.  Portsmouth’s defense throughout the period though, and especially on the penalty kill, kept most of Narragansett’s shots from the perimeter and limited real scoring chances.  Gage Aguiar in goal for Portsmouth then did his part and made sure the game was still scoreless at the end of the period.

 

The teams swapped ends of the ice for the second period and the Patriots turned the table on the Mariners outshooting them 10-3.  One of Portsmouth’s shots, taken by Jack Cavanagh at 4:42 of the period, broke open the scoring and gave the Patriots a 1-0 lead.  Playing at even strength, Ben O’Hearn won a faceoff in the left circle of Mariners zone.  The puck immediately came to Cavanaugh at the blue line where the freshman defenseman fired a slapshot that found its way through heavy traffic and into the back of Narragansett’s net.  The goal was the first of his high school career goal.

 

The period ended with no additional scoring.  As the teams headed to their dressing rooms for the second intermission, it was the Patriots who held the slim, but important 1-0 lead in the contest.

 

The penalty boxes saw plenty of use in the third period.   A total of eight minor penalties were assessed in the final session, with each team picking up four of them.  Narragansett was called for the first infraction in the period and Portsmouth took full advantage of the power play opportunity.  Eight seconds into skating with the man advantage, at 2:27, the Patriots increased their lead in the game to 2-0.

 

After winning the faceoff in the Mariners zone, Evan Alvanas controlled the puck and sent it back to O’Hearn at the left side of the blue line.  O’Hearn, who plays defense on the Patriots power plays, fired a shot which was deflected by Josh Arkins in front of the Mariners net, for his seventh goal of the season.

 

As the clock ticked away in the third period, the Mariners ramped up their efforts to get back in the game.  With 1:07 remaining in the period, Aguiar’s bid for his second shutout of the season was lost when Narragansett scored, bringing the game back to within a single goal, once again.  But it turned out that was it for the Mariners.  Despite pulling their goalie for the extra skater, Narragansett did not manage another shot before the final buzzer ended the game.

 

Aguiar made 26 saves in claiming the win for the Patriots   Overall the Mariners outshot the Portsmouth 27-20 in the game.  Portsmouth scored one goal in five power play opportunities and was a perfect four for four on the penalty kill.

 

The win moved Portsmouth from seventh place to fifth place in the Division-2 standings, jumping ahead of both Narragansett and the RMR Co-op team.  Whether the Patriots stay in fifth place or not will depend not only on the team’s performance in its final two games, but also on the results of several other critical contests between other teams in the division over the next two weeks.

 

Portsmouth’s next game is with the Pilgrim Patriots, next Saturday, February 28, at 7:30.  That game will be played at the Benny Mageira Ice Rink at the West Warwick Civic Center.  Pilgrim is winless in 14 games this season and is currently in last place in Division-2.  With two games to go in the regular season, you can be sure the Portsmouth Patriots will not be taking Pilgrim lightly.

 

Head over to the game and root for Portsmouth, but be sure to dress warmly.  The arena at West Warwick is even colder than the Abbey.  See you at the rink.