Patriots Hockey Beats Vikings, 5-0

Showing few ill effects of playing back-to-back nights, the Portsmouth High boys’ ice hockey team completed a winning weekend Saturday night by blanking the Rogers/Tiverton/Rocky Hill co-operative team, 5-0, in a Division II-South game played at St. George’s School in Middletown.

Dallas Wynegar was credited with three goals. Teammates Mike Maggiacomo and Kyle Alvanas each netted one goal.

Goaltender Matt Maggiacomo set a new school career record for shutouts by making 31 saves as the Patriots pulled away in the final 18 minutes of play to boost their season record to 3-1. The Vikings slipped to 1-2.

Fresh off a hard-fought 6-5 triumph Friday night over The Prout School, Portsmouth relied on its depth Saturday night to wear down Rogers/Tiverton/Rocky Hill, scoring one goal late in the second period and three more in the final chapter to produce their final tally.

“Rogers has skilled players, but a small roster, and I think that made a difference,” said Portsmouth Coach Mike Monahan. “We have more skaters than they have and we shortened our shifts to keep everyone fresh. I thought we had to do this because we had to play hard for the full 45 minutes Friday night to beat Prout and I knew we would be a little tired tonight.”

Matt Harrigan, Pat Spero and Mike Maggiacomo all notched assists for the winners. Rogers/Tiverton/Rocky Hill received a sterling performance in goal from Lucas Munato, who made 27 saves, including several in spectacular fashion.

In a wide-open and back-and-forth contest for its duration, the Patriots struck first with a goal just over a minute after the opening face-off when Mike Maggiacomo poked in a rebound for an unassisted score. Both teams generated numerous scoring opportunities during the remainder of the period, but Munato and Matt Maggiacomo were superb and protected the 1-0 difference after one stop.

Munato and Matt Maggiacomo also experienced an eventful second chapter, denying nine and 10 shots, respectively, until Wynegar broke through at the 12:07 mark. On a solo rush, Wynegar deftly split two Rogers/Tiverton/Rocky Hill defenders and flipped a backhanded shot over a diving Munato for an unassisted goal to give Portsmouth a 2-0 edge.

Munato stopped bids by Spero and Tyler Fleig early in the third period and Matt Maggiacomo gloved a vicious slap shot from the right point by Mac MacDonald before the Patriots blew the game open with a three-goal burst during a span of less than eight minutes.

With 9:16 remaining, Wynegar was credited with a goal, although Portsmouth players contended after the game that it should have been given to Mike Maggiacomo. With 4:22 left, Wynegar redirected a shot by Harrigan beyond Munato’s reach for the fourth score and Alvanas completed the scoring with 1:20 to go with a rebound goal assisted by Spero and Hebert.

Matt Maggiacomo, however, did not finish the shutout easily and was forced to make dazzling saves in the final minute on shots by Sam Hallowell and Ben Sanford.

“I thought we made a lot of mistakes tonight, but everyone we made one, someone helped out and covered up well,” Monahan said. “I thought we worked hard for the whole game and it paid off when we got a couple of late goals. It was a much closer game than the final score indicated.”

Portsmouth and Rogers/Tiverton/Rocky Hill will square off again Monday night at 7:30 at the Portsmouth Abbey School in the opening round of this year’s Coastal Cup. Middletown High will take on Mt. Hope High of Bristol at 6 in the first contest Monday and the consolation and championship games will be played Jan. 2.

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