The Patriots began their abbreviated, 2020-21, eight-game season with two contests last weekend and came away with a loss and a win.

 

On Friday, January 29, the team traveled to the Cranston Veterans Memorial Rink to begin its campaign for the playoffs against the Cranston West Falcons.

 

Portsmouth got off to a quick start with two first period goals.  The first came on a power play at the 2:45 into the period from the stick of Mac Dunn.  Dunn who led the Patriots with six of the teams’ ten power play goals last season, was assisted on his first tally by Hunter Tavares.  Portsmouth followed that up with a goal by freshman Hayden Krzych with 5:41 remaining in the opening session.  Andrew Alvanas was credited with the assist on the goal.  Portsmouth had a strong finish to the period and things were looking good for the team in its first game of the season.  But in hockey things can change quickly.

 

The Falcons swooped back into the game and rang up six unanswered goals in the second period.  Scoring the first on a power play just 47 seconds into the period, Cranston West added two more over the next 1:40.  In less than two and a half minutes into the period, the Patriots saw their two goal lead turn into a one goal deficit.  But the Falcons hadn’t finished, and before the period ended they added three more tallies, another on a power play and two at full strength, to take a commanding 6-2 lead into the second intermission.

 

Portsmouth regrouped and played well during the final period, but while they kept their opponent from causing further damage, the Patriots were unable to close the scoring gap. 

 

The squad was outshot by Cranston West 25-15.  Sam Stamoulis in goal for Portsmouth made 19 saves.  The Patriots were successful on one of three power play opportunities, but allowed two goals in seven penalty killing situations.

 

The team’s second contest of the season was a late afternoon game the following day played on their current “home” ice at the Levy rink in Burrillville.  The squad’s opponent was the Narragansett - CHARIHO Co-op Gulls, The Gulls, previously a Division-3 team, were moved to D-2, along with all the other D-3 teams, as their former division was eliminated this season.  Coming off a single-win campaign last season, the Gulls were soundly beaten in their first two games this year by long-time D-2 opponents.  Portsmouth added a third straight drubbing as the Patriots cruised to a 9-2 victory.

 

Mac Dunn and Ben Mcgowan led all Portsmouth scorers with four points each.  Dunn had two goals and two assists, and Mcgowan had a goal and three assists.  Aidan Toner finished with three points on three assists.  Notching two points each were veteran players Parker West with two goals, and Andrew Alvanas with a goal and an assist.  Their efforts were matched by freshmen Steven Madden who had a goal and an assist, and Hayden Krzych with two assists.  Rounding out the scoring for the Patriots were Hunter Tavares and Joe Rocco each with one goal, and Logan West with an assist.

 

Sam Stamoulis in the crease for Portsmouth made 24 saves on 26 shots by the Gulls to earn his first win of the season.  With the game well in hand, he was replaced in goal by Stephen Dutra halfway through the third period.  Dutra was perfect in stopping all seven shots he faced.

 

The win came despite the Patriots being outshot 33-23.  Portsmouth scored on one of two power play opportunities, and was perfect on the single penalty kill situation it faced.

 

The next game on tap will be played Monday, February 8, at 3:30 pm at the Lynch Arena in Pawtucket.  The Patriots will face off with PSW, the co-op team from Providence Country Day, St, Raphael Academy, and The Wheeler School.  PSW is undefeated thus far in three games this season.  Portsmouth will be looking to deal their opponent its first loss and move their own record above .500 for the first time in the current campaign.

 

See you at the rink.