EXETER – When Marc Noel took over as coach of the Pembroke Academy hockey team before last season, he told athletics director Susan Hutchinson that he’d need a few years to get the Spartans on track “in terms of discipline.” The playoffs, he said, weren’t even part of the conversation.

Today, one can’t speak of Pembroke without mentioning the P-word.

With a come-from-behind 7-4 win over Portsmouth on Saturday, Jan. 27 at the Rinks at Exeter, the Spartans claimed their third straight win – and fifth in six games – to put themselves securely in position to claim their first postseason bid since 2002 with eight games to play, including their match at Kennett on Wednesday, Jan. 31.

Against the Clippers, who are also vying for one of Division III’s top spots, Pembroke erased second-period deficits of 3-1 and 4-2 before exploding for four third period scores. V.J. Ranfos, J.R. Jarnigan and defenseman Ryan D’Entrement each scored twice, leading scorer Tyler Rumfelt assisted on four goals and do-it-all freshman Jamison Syphers scored once, the game’s equalizer early on a third-period power play.

With Torin Barker looking confident in net to the tune of six saves in 22-minutes, 36 seconds of scoreless relief, Pembroke provided Noel what he wanted: more goals, more scorers and more reason to believe it’s primed for the year’s second season.

“It’s all about their confidence,” Noel said. “Take little J.R. They look at him and he must weigh all of 80 pounds. But he’s got a heart and a lot of toughness. These guys did a nice job.”

Pembroke’s recent resurgence, though, has more than a few layers. In their last six games, the Spartans have averaged 5.67 goals per game while continuing to get help from a number of people.

Rumfelt is the team’s obvious offensive leader; the senior captain’s 28 points puts him squarely in the top 10 in the league in individual scoring. But Noel wanted other forwards to step up. Saturday, they and the defensemen did.

Also, Pembroke has benefited from, of all things, less practice. With his players’ academics dipping slightly and their health even more, Noel recently cut down the team’s 5:30 a.m. practices at Tri- Town Arena to two or three sessions per week. In turn, the Spartans are more rested when other teams aren’t, their third-period outburst a case in point.

Yet, one of the most subtle changes may prove to be the biggest. Noel recently “fabricated” a third line of Matt Sweeney, Corey Pinsonneault and the freshman Syphers, who’s usually a defenseman, which has helped give its team an unexpected spark on the offensive end. It’s also given everybody an extra few minutes of rest, except of course Syphers, “mature enough to handle everything I’m asking him to do,” Noel said.

Those factors have the Spartans at 6-4 entering their matchup with Kennett, who boasted a five-game win streak coming in.

“It’s really good when the other players step it up and score,” said Rumfelt, who leads the team and, as of Jan. 23, the league, with 20 goals. “Hopefully I can try and get away from the guys covering me. But as long as we’re winning, it doesn’t matter how many goals I score.”