In an unusual Sunday afternoon game at Abbey  Portsmouth celebrated the seniors on the team then defeated the Coventry Oakers by a score of 2-1.  The matinee contest was quickly arranged after last Fridays storm caused the postponement of the original date.  With the playoffs set to begin next weekend there was little time left to complete the regular season schedule.

 

The Patriots spotted their opponent a first period goal, but stayed competitive through the mid-point of the second period.  At that time Portsmouth took two minor penalties just fourteen seconds apart which created a long five-on-three situation.  The penalty killers, backed by Matt Nordhill in goal, got the squad through the difficult position, but the flow of the game had clearly swung in favor of Coventry,.  While keeping the pressure on the Patriots, the Oakers eventually ran into penalty trouble of their own which produced a long power play for the Patriots including a short five-on-three, as well.  But the team was unable to get much going with the man advantage and even gave up a few shorthanded shots by their opponent. 

 

As the second period neared its finish, Portsmouth got the break it needed.  With forty-six seconds remaining until the buzzer, Jake Fagan cut into the Oakers’ zone and tied the score with shot from high mid-way up the slot. As the teams finished the period and headed to the dressing rooms for the second intermission, the game was up for grabs.

 

A goal in the last minute of a period always has a big impact on both teams.  The Patriots hoped to capitalize on the situation when they returned to the ice for the third period, but Coventry proved to be a resilient opponent.  The team was unable to carry over its momentum and convert it to a lead on the scoreboard.  At near the half-way mark of the period the Oakers were called for a minor penalty and Portsmouth’s power play went to work for the second time in the game.  With twenty-one seconds remaining on the man-advantage, Cam Mello, in a melee in front of the net, got his stick on the puck and put it across the goal line at 8:53 into the period.

 

Coventry ratcheted up their effort in order to tie the game again, but the defense held strong.  Nordhill was flawless as he stopped fifteen shots in the final period, with nearly two thirds of them coming in the final five minutes of the game.  The Patriots claimed their well-earned  victory in the final regular season home game of the campaign.

 

Coventry outshot Portsmouth 32-20 in the contest.  The Patriots were perfect on two penalty kills, and scored one goal on two power plays.  Jack Cavanagh, Tim Jackson, and Max Dooley were credited with assists on the squad’s goals.

 

The win  took the Patriots record to 10 wins, 6 losses, and 1 tie, and clinched fourth place in the standings.  Portsmouth will face the fifth place Ponaganset Chieftains in the first round of the playoffs set to begin next weekend.

 

Before the playoffs begin, the team has one more game to complete.  Originally set for last Saturday, the game was postponed because Friday’s storm had knocked out power to the rink at the West Warwick Civic Center and the ice had begun to melt.  That game has been rescheduled to Tuesday, March 6, at 4:30 pm at the same facility.  Portsmouth will face the East Greenwich Avengers in the final game of the regular season for both teams.  The Patriots won their first meeting with the Avengers early in the season by a score of 4-2.  Although East Greenwich is winless in its last two seasons, the Patriots will not be taking the team lightly.  No one wants to be the first squad to lose a league game to the last place Avengers - especially when it is the final game of the schedule.  The time might not be optimum for many fans, but head to the game if you can, and root for Portsmouth.

 

Game notes:

 

Prior to the game, the Patriots honored the twelve seniors on the team playing their final regular season home game at the Abbey.  Matt Marion, Jack Cavanagh, Nolan O’Brien, Isaiah Kittel, Tim Jackson, Cam Mello, Jake Fagan, Christian Schenck, Gage Aguiar, Matt Nordhill, Owen Scallin, and Ally Armin were all recognized during the ceremony.

 

The twelve seniors - ten players, one assistant coach, and one manager - comprise the largest group of seniors on any PHS hockey team since the school first established the squad for the 1986-87 season.

 

All three goals in the game were scored by seniors

 

In keeping with Patriots hockey team tradition, the seniors day event was a celebration of all the seniors on both team.  Coventry’s nine seniors were introduced to the crowd as the ceremony began

 

The game with Coventry was originally anticipated as the contest that would decide third and fourth place in the standings.  That changed when the weather caused the game to be rescheduled.  In the interim, the Oakers faced-off with undefeated Barrington, and handed the Eagles their first loss of the season.  The win by the underdog Oakers, propelled them into third place in the standings and out of reach of the Patriots.

 

See you at the rink.