Chapen Leblond's team leading 26th goal of the season, 54 seconds into overtime gave the Winkler Flyers a 4-3 win over the Winnipeg Blues on Friday night. Trailing 3-2 in the final minute of regulation, Jordan Neduzak tied the game at three with just 41 seconds left in regulation to make overtime possible.


After losses to OCN and Selkirk in their two previous games, the Flyers took on a Winnipeg Blues club that they had enjoyed some success against this season. In the five previous meetings, the Flyers had earned seven of a possible 10 points against their division rivals.


Winnipeg opened the scoring when Jake Heisinger tapped the puck past Flyers goaltender Corey Koop just 8:03 into the game. Outshooting the Flyers 10-7 through 20 minutes, the Blues took their one goal lead into the intermission.


The Flyers tied the game just three and a half minutes into the second period. Anthony Nobili's shot snuck trickled under the arm of Blues netminder Isiah Plett and dropped down behind him. Jordan Neduzak was right there to poke it across the line to pull the Flyers even. However, just 26 seconds later Jared Morris ripped a shot past Koop to put the Blues back in front 2-1.


Later in the period, the Flyers found themselves on the power-play. In 2012, the Flyers had struggled on the man-advantage going 1-for-31 on the power-play in their seven games. That trend changed with just under three minutes to play before the intermission. Steve Sorenson's one timer off a nice pass from Chapen Leblond tied the game at two. Jory Mullin also assisted on Sorensen's ninth goal of the year.


Jared Morris put the Blues back in front at the 11:14 mark of the third when he banked a shot off the skate of a Flyer defender, and for the third time in the game the Flyers found themselves down by a goal.


Despite being down late the Flyers never gave up and were rewarded late in regulation. With Koop on the bench in favor of the extra attacker, Jory Mullin skated the puck around the Blues net and threw it in front where Neduzak shot it between the legs of Plett to tie the game at three with just 41 seconds to play in regulation.


The Flyers momentum carried over into the overtime period as Winkler did not allow the Blues to get the puck past centre ice in extra time. Daniel Fainman slid a beautiful pass over to Leblond on the right wing who fired a wrister under the leg of Plett to give Winkler the win. Sorensen also added his second point of the night on Leblond's 26 goal of the season. The Terrace, BC native now has 12 points in his last five games.


Koop earned his 19th win of the season in goal making 29 saves as the Blues and Flyers each had 32 shots in the game.


After starting 2012 with a 1-for-31 power-play, the Flyers went 1-for-2 with the man advantage. They also held the Blues off the scoreboard on their three power-plays.


Jordan Neduzak finished the game with two goals, Chapen Leblond and Steve Sorensen each had a goal and assist. Jory Mullin and Anthony Nobili finished the game with two assists a piece.


With the win and the Selkirk Steelers win in Dauphin on Friday the two teams remain tied for third place in the Addison Division. They trail the second place Blues by just three points and are nine points behind the first place Portage Terriers.


The stage is now set for a big game against the Selkirk Steelers on Sunday night in Winkler. The Flyers are 1-3-2 against the Steelers this season. Puck drop at the Winkler Recreation Complex is 7:30pm on Sunday with the pre-game show getting underway on 1570 CKMW and online at 7:25pm.

Game Stats