JNP earns spot in D-III finals with series win over Ponaganset

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The motto of the 2014-15 Johnston/North Providence Co-op hockey team, according to senior co-captain Sam DaCosta is, “We have everything to prove and nothing to lose,” and that’s exactly what they did, as they eliminated the No. 2 seed Chieftains in the Division III semifinals in what was an exciting and intense three-game series, with all three games being decided by one goal.

JNP had lost all three games to the Chieftains this season and many people thought Ponaganset would handle the No. 3 seed JNP easily, but the Panthers/Cougars had other ideas, as they out-skated, out-hustled and out-played them in the three games. JNP also played great defense, especially in the final minutes of the third game.

“We played really good team defense to help our goaltender David Kelly out,” said JNP coach David Centracchio. “Our forwards did not over-commit and our defensemen John Gibau, Justin Gomes, Mike Petracca and Shawn O’Brien logged all the minutes and came up huge. We had four guys playing 45 minutes of hockey and we have a lot of leaders that kept everyone motivated.”

Game one went to the Chieftains last Friday night at Burrillville’s Levy Ice Rink by a score of 2-1. Ponaganset struck first at 5:08 of the first period on Ethan Sederback’s goal. Nathan Morin would make it 2-0 on a power play with 56 seconds remaining in the first period. JNP goalie, freshman David Kelly, kept his team in the game, registering 19 saves in the game.

Ponaganset inserted Curtis Briggs, 15 saves, in goal midway through the second period, replacing starter Tyler Petrella, who registered 13 saves. Both goalies shut out JNP, until Nick Threshier snuck one by Briggs at 9:22 of the third period, assisted by Sam DaCosta. JNP had its chances to score on a power play with less than four minutes in the game, but could not convert. Kelly was pulled, but once again JNP could not tie the game and the Chieftains escaped with the win, even though they were out-shot by the Cougars 29-20.

“The kids fought hard,” Centracchio said. “We could not ask for more except put the puck in the net more. You can’t ask more of our seniors, they really put it on the line tonight. They worked hard, playing every other shift and I’m proud of them.”

JNP coach Stephen Morrison was also pleased with his team’s performance saying, “I’m really proud of the effort tonight – the way we played tonight says a lot about our guys and we earned the right to play this Ponaganset team.”

The scene shifted to North Smithfield’s Rhode Island Sports Center on Saturday night, in what proved to be, another intense hockey game.

With its season on the line, JNP came through with an exciting 5-4 victory in double overtime to even the series at one game apiece, as Nick Threshier’s goal in the second overtime saved the season for the Panthers.

Centracchio wanted his team to put the puck in the net more and the JNP players responded in a big way, especially DaCosta, who turned in a hat trick.

Once again, Ponaganset jumped out to an early lead with goals by James Manni and Morin. DaCosta’s first goal, assisted by Gibau, cut the lead in half at 11:15, but the Chieftains regained their two-goal lead with a minute left in the first period on Derek Merchant’s power-play goal.

As the second period opened, Andrew Costa-Curtis replaced Kelly in net and he would shut out the Chieftains in the period, giving his team a chance to catch up. That’s exactly what JNP would do, tallying three goals in the second period.

DaCosta scored his second goal of the game on a power play, assisted by Justin Harvey. Ponaganset once again removed senior goaltender Petrella for freshman Briggs mid-way through the second period.

JNP kept the pressure on Briggs and would tie the game, 3-3, on Jacob McCollough’s goal.

Just 41 seconds later, DaCosta found the back of the net for the third time in the game, giving JNP its first lead of the game, the series and its first lead of the season against Ponaganset.

“A hat trick in a game of this caliber is monumental,” Morrison said.

JNP took that 4-3 lead into the third period, as it continued to pepper Briggs.

DaCosta put two shots on net in the final five minutes, but they were turned away by the Chieftains’ goalie.

Briggs was pulled for the extra skater with less than a minute to go in regulation, and with just 2.3 seconds on the clock, Joshua Dalessio scored, stunning the crowd as the two teams headed to overtime.

“For a very short time, our team was deflated,” Morrison said. “We only needed a short time to regroup – our team is resilient.”

JNP would not let that late goal get it down. Costa-Curtis came through with two big stops in the first overtime to help send the game to a second overtime, where he would shine again, stopping three scoring chances by the Chieftains.

“We give credit to Costa-Curtis,” Centracchio said. “It is tough to come in cold in the middle of a game. He did a really good job for us.”

Threshier’s heroics with 2:03 left in the second overtime sent the crowd into a frenzy, as JNP tied the series, setting up a third and final game back at Levy Rink on Monday.

“I give Ponaganset credit,” Morrison said. “They are not used to being behind and scored with two seconds left – they never gave up.”

He added, “Our team has a lot of heart and character, having a goal scored against us like that, we could have given up, but we didn’t. We controlled the overtimes and continued to put pressure on Ponaganset. We finally broke through and it was inevitable we were going to score.”

“We really pulled together and proved a lot of people wrong,” said defenseman Gibau. “We have momentum going into game three. Our fans were able to pick us up, even when they scored with two seconds – we still had good morale. We will continue to put pucks on net regardless of the score. We will scrap for everything, and we will not stop or give up.”

DaCosta added, “We played a hell of a game. It was incredible, but we have to stay hungry because they will come out flying in the next game.”

In the third game, with a trip to the finals at stake, Kelly and Petrella were outstanding in goal for their respective teams. JNP’s best chance to score came in the first period, but Brandon Tanguay hit the post.

Justin Harvey would give JNP the lead just 1:56 into the third period, though, assisted by Threshier. Four minutes later, Tanguay set up a power-play goal to DaCosta, who scored his fourth goal of the series, and for a change, JNP did not have to play from behind.

Ponaganset would cut the lead in half on Morin’s goal with 7:33 left in the game. The Chieftains pulled Petrella for the extra man once again, and for the next minute and a half, the Cougars played their best defense of the season, making sure this time that there would be no last second score, as JNP hung on and earned a date with West Warwick/Exeter-West Greenwich in the Division III finals on Saturday at Brown University’s Meehan Auditorium.

“Both teams played outstanding,” Morrison said. “I Don’t consider this an upset.”

He spoke about his freshman goaltender saying, “Kelly earned his position tonight. We did not put him in this game, he put himself in this game and had the hot hand tonight.”

Kelly finished with 24 saves in game three and was a key player in the series clincher.

Centracchio spoke highly of DaCosta stating, “Sam is our leader on this team – he wants to keep playing hockey because he loves the game and lives it. He is a smart and shifty player and has nice hands in front of the net.”

WWEWG, the No. 1 seed in D-III, beat JNP three times this year and have some experienced players. WWEWG has been in the championship series in two out of the last three years, but if JNP plays like it did against Ponaganset, it will have a good chance of knocking off the top team in D-III.

Game one will be on Saturday at 2 p.m., while the puck will drop for game two on Sunday at 4 p.m.

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