Brandan Arnold played the overtime hero as the Nipawin Hawks knocked off the Battlefords North Stars 3-2 in overtime in Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League action from North Battleford.
The Dec. 12 matchup was a contest between the league's top two teams, with the winner claiming top spot in the SJHL.
The game got off to a slow start for the Hawks as they gave up the game’s opening goal just 1:26 into the first period.
Before the first period came to a close, Jake Tremblay scored his eighth goal of the season, sending the game into the first intermission tied at one.
Grant Baetsen put the Hawks ahead for the first time in the game with his seventh goal of the season at 15:37 of period two, but the lead lasted fewer than three minutes as the SJHL’s leading scorer, Layne Young, scored his 19th of the season to tie the score at two after two periods.
After the third period finished scoreless the two teams went to overtime tied at two.
In the extra session, Arnold wasted little time giving the Hawks the win, scoring his 23rd of the season just 58 seconds in.
It was a quiet night for both teams’ power plays as they combined to finish the night 0-for-5, with the Hawks going scoreless on two chances, and the North Stars scoreless on three opportunities.
Jake Anthony picked up the win in the Hawks goal turning aside 28 of the 30 shots he faced as the Hawks outshot the North Stars 37-30.
The Hawks will look to push their season high points streak to 13 games when they return to action on Dec. 13 for a matchup against the Kindersley Klippers in Kindersley.
