PORTSMOUTH — They were down but certainly never out.

After dropping the first game of a best-of-three series against South Kingstown, the Portsmouth High School hockey team stormed back to take the next two and advance to the Division II semifinals on Friday night, March 18.

The No. 4-seeded Patriots will face the top-seeded co-op squad of Rogers/Middletown/Rocky Hill (RMR) at the Portsmouth Abbey rink at 6 p.m. That series is also best two out of three.

With the series evened at one game apiece, the Patriots held a comfortable two-goal lead heading into the final period Monday night against the Rebels at the Portsmouth Abbey rink. 

However, South Kingstown nearly dashed Portsmouth’s hopes, scoring two goals in under 10 seconds early in the period. 

But with 4:30 remaining in the game, junior Alec Roderiques scored on a rebound, propelling his team to a 3-2 victory.

The other two goals scored by Portsmouth both came in the first period, first by Jack Cavanagh on an assist by Evan Steeley, then by Evan Alvanas after he stole the puck.

Portsmouth will have to be at its best against RMR, as the co-op squad beat the Patriots twice in the regular season by scores of 5-0 and 3-1.

Game 1

In the first game of the series against the Rebels, two quick goals near the end of the first period gave South Kingstown all the momentum they needed, and they cruised to a 6-1 win.

The Patriots’ loan goal was scored by Alvanas, who got one in the net on an assist by Josh Arkins around four minutes into the second period.

Game 2

The Rebels thought they had tied the game in the closing seconds of the second game Sunday but the officials ruled that PHS goaltender Matt Nordhill stopped the puck.

Instead of going to overtime, the Patriots skated off the ice with a 3-2 victory.

The Patriots, who never trailed in the game, went out to a 1-0 lead on an unassisted goal by Michael Adkins with about 10:30 left in the first period.

The Rebels tied things up on a power play, but the Patriots went back on top when Rodriques scored with just over two minutes left in the second period. Jonah Callandret got the assist.

The Patriots scored again less than a minute later, when Ben O’Hearn and Alvanas set up a goal by Arkins.