By ERIC BENEVIDES

Sports writer

WEST WARWICK --- Tyler Malo made St. Raphael Academy’s Friday night bus ride back to Pawtucket a lot more enjoyable.

Malo snapped a 2-2 draw by scoring a shorthanded goal with 3:14 left in the game and helped the Saints escape the West Warwick Civic Center with a 4-2 victory over a pesky South Kingstown High squad.

Malo finished the night with a pair of goals (his third and fourth of the year) and as many assists for the Saints, who are 5-1 in Division II action heading into tonight’s 7:30 p.m. contest at Lynch Arena against equally-tough North Kingstown High (5-2).

The Rebels, who are in their first season in the Division II ranks after going unbeaten during the regular season and becoming state finalists in Division III play last year, fell to 1-4, but gave the Saints fits for the second time this week.

On Monday night, the Saints suffered an overtime defeat to the Rebels last Monday in the opening round of the Holiday Classic Tournament at URI’s Boss Arena, but on Friday night, they turned the tables on their foes.

“They’re a good team,” added SRA coach Mark Anderson. “It’s a big step coming up from Division III, but I think they’re going to be a spoiler this year. They’re not going to go away and they’re going to be a team to watch down the stretch.”

The Saints outshot the Rebels by a 29-28 count, but both teams were unable to generate many bonafide scoring opportunities. The Saints, who kept the action in SK’s end of the ice for the better part of the first two periods, also had their share of struggles putting the puck on net.

“It’s been our nemesis all season,” offered Anderson. “It seems like we just can’t hit the net no matter how hard we practice (doing) it. I know we took 29 shots, but we probably had eight or nine quality (shots). Luckily we put three of them in.”

The Rebels actually drew first blood 9:42 into the game on a goal by Brett Grimes, who gathered a long pass from Jon Gorman, and wheeled around a SRA defenseman, and beat SRA goalie Joe Mello on a partial breakaway.

But Drew Given tied the score with 1:01 to play in the first period with his fourth goal of the year, a wrist shot from the side of the net that zipped past Rebel netminder Frank Petrone, and 3:43 into the second period, Malo gave his team the lead by stuffing a pass from Ty Karalis past Petrone.

The Rebels eventually knotted the score 1:42 into the third period on a goal by Tim Camelin, but Malo soon came to the rescue.

The Rebels, who were midway through a power play, won a faceoff to the right of Petrone, but Malo stole the puck in front of SK’s goal and quickly flipped a shot past Petrone.

Two minutes later, the Rebels were forced to yank Petrone and get a sixth attacker on the ice, but that strategy backfired, when with 21 seconds left,

Matt Tougas netted an easy empty-net goal for his team-high sixth goal of the season.

“Everyone played well,” offered Anderson. “Everyone pitched in and dug deep in the third period to pull out this win.”