Portsmouth closed out its regular season schedule with a 5-2 win over the Toll Gate Titans Saturday night at the Cranston Veterans Memorial Rink.

 

Four Patriots had two point games.  Evan Alvanas led the Portsmouth goal scorers with two tallies, and Josh Arkins collected assists on each one.  Aidan O’Brien and Matt Marion each had a goal and an assist.  Marion’s goal and assist were the first of each for the freshman forward as a varsity player.

 

Rounding out the scoring for the Patriots was Matt Faria with a goal, and Jack Cavanagh and Alec Roderiques with one assist apiece.

 

Gage Aguiar on duty in the goal crease had 13 saves on the night.  With the victory the freshman goalie finished his first regular season in the net with six wins, against two losses and one overtime loss.

 

There were eighteen penalties assessed in the contest and the Patriots found themselves on the power play four times.  Taking full advantage of the opportunity the team scored two of its goals with the man advantage.  With ten of the infractions called against Portsmouth, the team also ended up on the penalty kill six times.  The squad’s special teams have done well managing shorthanded situations this season, and that skill was on display again Saturday night as the team gave up only a single goal to the Titans’ power play.

 

Portsmouth ends the season in seventh place in the league standings and now prepares for its first appearance in the State championship playoffs in three seasons.  The playoffs which will begin next weekend on Friday and Saturday evening, March 13-14, will pit the Patriots against the number two team in the Division-2 standings in a best of three series.  The location of the Friday game will be determined by who the Patriots’ opponent is for the first round.  While Portsmouth’s final position in the standings has been determined, the top three teams are still in flux with the final order to be decided by the last two league games of the season being played later today.  Those games will determine whether the Patriots will faceoff against the South Kingstown Rebels, North Smithfield Northmen, or East Greenwich Avengers.

 

Saturday’s first round playoff game is expected to be played at the Abbey.  If a game three is required it will be scheduled for Monday, March 16, at the home rink of the Patriots opponent.

 

This site will post the playoff pairings and tournament bracket as soon as they become officially available from RIIL.