The Johnston/North Providence Panthers Co-op beat the Warwick Vets Hurricanes 8-5 at Smithfield Municipal Ice Rink on Saturday night.

The game was important for both teams because they were playing for second place in Division III.

“Only four teams make it in the playoffs, so that’s what we needed,” Johnston head coach Manny DaCosta said. “We needed to make a statement. This is our home rink and we took care of our rink which is great.”

Early on, Vets captain Jacob Mitchell had a shot on net blocked by Johnston goalie Dave Kelly before Mitchell’s teammate D.J. Kowalik missed a slap shot wide right. Johnston forward Jacob McCollough cleared it out of the zone with 13:46 left in the first period. Then, Johnston’s Brian Iannuccillo had a chance on a turnaround shot, but it missed wide. Kowalik went on a breakaway, but the Johnston defense was able to knock the puck away before he was able to get off a shot.

With 9:22 left in the period, McCollough was penalized for roughing and thrown in the sin bin for two minutes. That’s when Warwick took advantage. First, Brandon Major passed to Greg Fontaine, but he was unable to get off a shot. Next, Kowalik went the length of the ice and released a slap shot that missed high above the net. On the ensuing faceoff in the Johnston zone, Kowalik ripped a slap shot from the blue line that missed. Finally, while being dragged down by Johnston defender Mike Petracca, Kowalik put the biscuit in the basket with 7:45 to go in the first period, putting Warwick up 1-0. Petracca sat in the penalty box for two minutes for hooking.

Kelly survived a barrage of shots from Warwick. Mitchell had a chance, but his shot was stopped by the goaltender. Next, Warwick forward Collin Csoszor shot twice, his first was wide and his second, snubbed. Finally, Warwick forward Dylan Tindle had a shot stonewalled by Kelly.

With 4:52 to go in the first period, Warwick forward Tim Chaffee was sent to the penalty box for cross-checking. With the man advantage, Johnston came down into the Warwick zone. Michael Flori had a shot stopped by Warwick goalie Josh Belleville. Then, Brandon Tanguay fired a shot over the net before having his next shot stopped by the Warwick netminder. Finally, Andrew Costa’s shot was also stopped by Belleville.

When both teams were back at full strength, Warwick went into attack mode again. However, this time it couldn’t get the puck past Kelly. Mitchell had a backhand in front stabbed by Kelly. Then, Warwick defenseman Andrew Canning fired a slap shot from in front of the blue line, but that too was stopped by Kelly with 2:01 left in the period. Kowalik followed Canning with his own shot from the blue line, which was also snubbed by the Johnston goaltender. Warwick had one more chance in the first when defenseman Kiernan Habershaw had his shot knocked away by Johnston defender Shawn O’Brien.

The second period would prove to be the difference in the game.

With 11:57 left to play in the second period, Johnston’s Tanguay sniped one past Belleville, tying the game at 1. The goal was assisted by Petracca and Nye. Soon after, Johnston took a 2-1 lead when Costa passed to Petracca, who took a slap shot that deflected off of Iannuccillo’s stick for a goal with 11:42 left in the second period.

Warwick’s Csoszor had a chance to even the score, but his attempt was denied by Kelly.

With 9:33 left, Iannuccillo passed to Tanguay, who assisted to Justin Harvey, who put the biscuit in the basket for the third Johnston goal.

Warwick’s Csoszor dangled in front of the Johnston net before he had a shot stopped in front. But, with 7:15 left in the second period, Csoszor took a slap shot which bounced off Kelly’s pads before his teammate Noah Kane got a hold of the rebound and assisted to Mitchell who scored to pull Warwick to within 3-2.

Then, Warwick would get itself in trouble. With 6:50 left in the second period, Warwick’s Fontaine was penalized a five minute major penalty. Johnston would take full advantage. A minute later, McCollough lit the lamp off an assist from O’Brien, putting the Panthers up 4-2.

The Panthers would go right back on the attack after the faceoff, but this time Belleville made a glove save to rob Tanguay. Next, Petracca missed wide before Johnston teammate Amara Gibau scored with 3:45 left in the second period to increase the Johnston lead to 5-2. Costa and McCollough assisted.

Kowalik would get revenge, scoring a shorthanded goal and pulling Vets to 5-3 with 3:14 left in the period. However, still shorthanded, Warwick couldn’t keep up. Nye found Tanguay in front for a goal with 51 seconds left to put Johnston up 6-3. Vets would keep fighting, though. With 26 seconds left in the period, Csoszor sniped from in front past Kelly to pull Warwick within 6-4.

Warwick went on the attack in the third period. Chaffee fired a shot, but it was stopped by Kelly. Next, Kowalik found Csoszor who scored with 11:08 left, pulling Vets within 6-5. But that is as close as Warwick would come. Hurricanes’ Tindle, Csoszor, Kane and Chaffee all had their next shots on net denied by Kelly. Then, Johnston’s McCollough found Harvey, who scored with 7:49 left in the game, putting Johnston up 7-5. Fourteen seconds later, Johnston would strike again. This time, Nye lit the lamp off passes from Petracca and Tanguay, putting Johnston up 8-5.

DaCosta said he was happy with the way his team played. He added that he leaned on his seniors on defense when the game got close.

“I thought we played a very smart hockey game today,” DaCosta said. “We stayed out of the penalty box compared to their team. I think it cost them the game.”

Warwick Vets head coach Michael Boyajian was upset that his team couldn’t stay out of the bin.

“We’re beating ourselves,” Boyajian said. “We’re taking a ridiculous amount of penalties. It’s detrimental to what we’re trying to do. We need to play some 5-on-5 hockey. We’re the better 5-on-5 team, but unfortunately, we couldn’t stay out of the box tonight…That 5-minute major is a backbreaker right there.”