The Patriots skated into league play for the first time this season and came out on the short end of a 5-2 contest with North Kingstown Friday night at the Abbey.

 

The Skippers dominated play at the start of the game, setting Portsmouth on its heels with three goals early in the first period on their first four shots.  The team initially appeared to struggle with North Kingstown’s aggressive physical play, but as the period wore on, they began to rally so that by first intermission, although down by three goals, they had matched their opponent’s shot total with each squad totaling seven apiece.

 

It had been nearly three years since the Patriots and Skippers met each other on the ice in a regular season contest.  That season, 2021-22, the squads played each other three times.  North Kingstown edged Portsmouth two games to one, and in the playoffs went on to win the D2 state championship.  The Skippers then spent two unsuccessful years in Division 1 before returning to D2 this season.

 

 When the game resumed in the second period play was more balanced between the teams.  Portsmouth generated several scoring opportunities but was unable to get the puck past the Skippers’ goaltender.  Although the Patriots again matched their opponent shot-for-shot in the period, two costly mistakes resulted in North Kingstown break-away goals to put the team down 5-0 when the period ended.

 

For as hard hitting as the game was throughout the night, there were relatively few penalties in the contest.  The referees kept control of the game but largely let it play out even when big hits occurred or when pileups and shoving happened near the goals after plays had ended.  Portsmouth was assessed two minor penalties and the Skippers had three plus a major for hitting from behind late in the third period.  Portsmouth allowed a goal on the only penalty it had to kill as the second call was offset by a North Kingstown player sent to the box concurrently.  PHS was unable to score on either of its two power play opportunities in the game.

 

Portsmouth finally solved the Skippers and their goalie in the third period.  The team dominated the play, skating nearly the entire final session in the Skippers end of the ice.  Shane Temple scored two goals for the Patriots as the team outshot its opponent 15- 6.   Hadrian Doughtry and Becket Snyder assisted on Temple’s first goal and Connor Rogers earned the lone assist on his second tally.

 

In the end, a five-goal deficit proved to be too much for the Patriots to overcome this time.  But along the way the team demonstrated terrific resilience and heart in regrouping and battling back to match the Skippers’ play and then take complete control of the game in the final period. 

 

 Game Notes

• Portsmouth’s 15 shots in the third period doubled the team’s shot total in the first two periods combined.  Overall, the Patriots outshot the Skippers 30-21 in the contest.
• Becket Snyder earned the first point of his high school career with his assist on Temple’s first goal in the third period.

The team will play its first ‘away’ game of the season next Friday, December 20, at the Levy Community Ice Center behind Burrillville High School.  That game with the Ponaganset Chieftains is set to begin at 5:00 pm.  Then Sunday afternoon, December 22, at 2:00 pm, the squad will be back at the Abbey to play the Lincoln Lions in the first of two games the teams are scheduled to play this season.  The games with these two teams are always competitive and exciting to watch.  Come out and cheer for the Patriots.

 

See you at the rink.