Portsmouth honored its seniors in the traditional fete before the team’s final home game of the regular season this afternoon at the Abbey.  The celebration began with introductions of the five senior players for the visiting Toll Gate Titans.  That was followed by each of the Patriots’ nine seniors  skating out first to the congratulations of their teammates, then to the bench to present their moms with flowers and have photos taken with the families.  As a special surprise this year, each senior was presented with their previous home jersey modified with their name across the back.

Before the game even began, the Patriots were locked into the playoffs in seventh place in the final standings.  The team knew that, and knew that its opponent in the first round of the post season will be the Lincoln Lions.  What was a stake in the game was the pride of the seniors and whether the squad would finish the season with a winning or losing record.  As it turned out it was the best of both options as the team skated away with a 4-1 victory.

Stephen Dutra was the star of the game.  Making his first start in goal, the freshman made 23 saves to earn the first win of his high school career.  The Titans have two goal scorers among the top seven in the league.  Not only did Dutra keep them off the scoreboard, he delivered a number of highlight reel quality saves along the way.

Offensively it was the Patriots defensemen that led the team’s scoring in the game.  Mac Dunn, the squad’s leader in power play goals added two more in the contest, including the eventual game winner.  William Hayes launched a rocket from the blue line that sailed past the Toll Gates’ netminder at the end of the second period.  His goal with just 37 seconds left before the intermission, not only gave the team a comfortable, two-goal lead, it was a huge momentum boost at the end of the period.  Liam Griffiths opened the scoring for Portsmouth halfway through the first period.  It was his second goal in three games and confirmed that his move to a top scoring line was the right one to improve the team’s overall scoring threat.

Seven different players collected assists on the Patriots four goals.  Niklas Pedersen had two assists while one each went to Ben McGowan, James Lebreux, Aidan Toner, William Hayes, Max Dooley, and Connor Little.

The Patriots will spend this week getting ready for the playoffs which begin next Friday.  The team is expecting to head to the Rhode Island Sports Center / Route 146 Rink to meet the Lincoln Lions for the first game of the best of three series.  The squad will then return to the Abbey for game two on Saturday.  If the teams split the first two games, the deciding contest will take place on the following Monday.  Game times have not yet been determined, but will be posted here on the team website as soon as they are available.  So, hold your schedule open this weekend, and come root for Portsmouth in the playoffs.  See you at the rink.

Game notes:

Adding Stephen Dutra’s three previous partial game appearances to his full game performance today, he has allowed only one goal on 43 shots this season for a remarkable .977 save percentage, and a Goals Against Average of just 0.56 in 80 minutes of play.

Six out of eight goals by Mac Dunn this season were scored on power plays.  Those six goals are also 60 percent of the team’s power play goals this season, making Mac the go-to player with the man advantage.

William Hayes, with four goals this season, leads all single position defensemen, and all but one player that combines to play both forward and defense.