League play officially began for Portsmouth hockey on Saturday evening when the team met the East Bay Huskies on the ice at the Abbey.  The Patriots dominated all aspects of the game with East Bay, the name adopted last season by the co-op hockey team from Mt Hope and East Providence, and came away with a 9-0 win.

Seven players chipped in a goal apiece, while one skater, Freshman Chase Pascoe, notched two in his debut game with the team.  Among the players with one goal apiece were six team veterans and one freshman.  Senior Henri Boneu scored the team’s first goal of the season which eventually proved to be the game winner.  Three other seniors, Steve Madden, Dan Biello and Hayden Krzych along with Juniors Ben West and Shane Temple rounded out the scoring from the experienced skaters.  Playing in his first game for the Patriots, Hadrian Doughtry found the back of the Huskies net halfway through the first period to earn the first goal of his high school career.

Connor Rogers, Madden, and West each had two assists in the game.  Finn O’Connor Boneu, Oliver Melanson, Temple, and Lucas Roberts each were credited with one assist.  Both Madden and West finished the game with three points.

At the other end of the ice, goalie Johnny Cabral earned his first career shutout.  Although the team’s strong defensive play limited East Bay to only six shots the entire game, Cabral came up big on several of them, including a save worthy of the highlight reel when he smothered a shot by a Huskies player on a clean breakaway.

The season is now in full swing for the Patriots who will face off with two opponents next weekend.  On Friday the team will travel to the Benny Magiera Rink at the West Warwick Civic Center to meet the Coventry Oakers.  That game is set to begin at 9:00 pm.  Sunday the squad is back at the Abbey to take on the Nariho Gulls at 2:00 pm. 

Come to the games and cheer for Portsmouth.

See you at the rink.