The championship was the eighth in the Sentinels’ history (sixth in Division II) and third in the last four seasons, but unlike the previous seven titles, this one put an exclamation point on the program’s first unbeaten season (22-0).

“I didn’t expect it,” Smithfield coach Rob Jackson admitted about his team’s 22-0 record. “I expected to be very competitive in our league, but I certainly didn‘t expect to go 22-0. For a group of high school kids to be able to go out every night, give it everything they have no matter who they play, and put a goose egg in the loss column is really a tribute to our team and our players.”

In Saturday’s series-opening 3-2 victory over the Skippers, Jackson was not happy with his team’s play in the first two periods and questioned its sense of urgency, but on Sunday, the Sentinels brought out their ‘A’ game and kept their foot on the accelerator from start to finish.

“We played with an urgency that we didn’t come out with yesterday,” added Jackson. “It was exactly what we needed from every guy. From our top line to our third line, they finished every check, won 1-on-1 battles, and popped home rebounds. That’s the kind of hockey we’re capable of playing and it couldn’t have come at a better time.”

For the second straight afternoon, the Sentinels’ defense was superb against one of the division’s top-scoring teams. Tedino made a handful of brilliant saves en route to his shutout, and Giuliani teamed up with John Del Padre, Marco Scotti, and John Chakuroff to make life miserable for NK’s forwards.

“From our goalie out to our ‘D’ men, and even our forwards defensively did a great job and I was really proud of that,” remarked Jackson. “Vinny played unbelievable today and yesterday, and when you shut out a team as good as (North Kingstown), there’s something to be said about your goalie and your defense.”

Iannuccillo, who only scored twice during the regular season, got Smithfield on the board exactly four minutes into the contest by slipping in the rebound of a long shot by Giuliani past NK netminder Michael Aptt.

Giuliani then made it a 2-0 game with 2:22 to play in the first period by also capitalizing on a rebound. Scotti unleashed a slap shot from the top of the left faceoff circle that Aptt kicked out -- but right to Giuliani -- who was all alone in the middle of the right faceoff circle when he lined the puck home.

“They were ready to go,” said Jackson. “The nervousness was gone. I think that they knew what they needed to do. They were fired up and they really wanted to come out today and put it together.”

When Smithfield’s lead grew to 3-0 with 5:41 to play in the second period on a power-play goal by Paul Harrison that was assisted by Nick Bruno, the Sentinels and their fans could smell the championship, but the winners were far from done victimizing their opponent.

Fugere netted his 34^th and 35^th goals of the year in the first 5:46 of the third period by flipping in the rebound of a shot from Del Padre for his first goal at 3:19 and soon following that up with an unassisted goal. Iannuccillo later capped the scoring with 1:52 to go off Giuliani‘s fourth assist of the series.

The Sentinels’ defense, meanwhile, was at its finest in the final 15 minutes, limiting the Skippers to just three shots on net. Smithfield also didn’t yield a shot to NK in the first 7:05 of the second period.

With just three players (forwards Cody Lange, T.J. Gerlach, Brendan Chelo) graduating, one would automatically assume that the Sentinels would be the runaway favorite to repeat as state champions next year. But Jackson hopes his team gets the OK to leave the division and compete for a state title in the tougher Division I-A ranks.

“We sent our letter into the Rhode Island Interscholastic League,” admitted Jackson. “Hopefully they accept it and move us up. I think we have the team to do it. We‘re losing three seniors, but I think with our junior class coming back, we can compete at the next level.”