With the playoffs looming, and teams scrambling for final positioning in the standings, Portsmouth ran into the determined Toll Gate Titans and lost an overtime decision at the Thayer Arena Saturday evening.  A late third period collapse cost the Patriots a two goal lead and sent the game into overtime where they were quickly dispatched by the Titans.

 

After a scoreless first period, Toll Gate took the lead early in the second session.  Portsmouth responded with three unanswered goals, the first coming on a power play, to finish the period with a 3-1 lead.

 

Following the second intermission the teams returned to the ice with Portsmouth holding a comfortable two goal lead.  By the midpoint of the period the teams had swapped power play goals to bring the score to 4-2 in favor of the Patriots.  The Titans then cut the Patriots’ margin to a single goal when they notched their second power play tally of the game with only three minutes to play in regulation time.  After a stoppage of play and a Toll Gate time out at :39 seconds remaining in the period, the teams prepared to faceoff.  Toll Gate pulled its goalie for a sixth skater on the ice and worked the puck deep into Portsmouth’s zone where a defensive miscue by the Patriots provided the opportunity they needed to tie the score.  With only seven seconds left before the buzzer ended the third period, the Titans tied the score and sent the game into overtime.

 

With all the game momentum behind them, it did not take Toll Gate long to finish off the Patriots.  Just 31 seconds into the extra session, the Titans rang up the game winning goal to take the contest 5-4

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As noted each team scored two power play goals in the game.  Portsmouth had the man advantage four times in the contest and Toll Gate had the extra skater five times.  Those opportunities were, as always, the result of penalties.  While the game was not particularly chippy, the referees called a tight contest resulting in seventeen penalties over all, with eleven being assessed in the first period alone.  Portsmouth players were sent to the penalty box nine times in the game for a total of twenty-six minutes.

 

Matt Nordhill in goal for the Patriots made twenty-one saves in the loss.

 

The overtime defeat will lock the Patriots into sixth place in the final D-II standings assuming they beat North Smithfield in the team’s final game of the regular season, later today.  The Northmen have won only two games this season, with both victories coming over winless East Greenwich.  No playoff bound team has lost to North Smithfield during the campaign.  That game will be played at the Rhode Island Sports Center, more familiarly known as the Route 146 Rink, at 3:40 today, February 26.

 

Portsmouth’s most likely opponent in the first round of the playoffs will be either Ponaganset or Toll Gate.  That match-up will be determined by the game outcome of the game scheduled to be played between Ponaganset and Coventry later this evening.

 

Today is the last chance to see Portsmouth in action before the playoffs begin next weekend.  Come out and support the team as it looks to close out the season on a winning note. 

See you at the rink.