ABERDEEN – Brady Bjork scored the winning goal in overtime as the Blizzard beat the Central Division-leading Wings 6-5 in a wild NAHL matchup Friday night at Odde Ice Center.
Anthony Szurlej and Owen Belisle assisted on Bjork’s tally, which came with 5 seconds remaining in the extra period.
Bjork and Bud Winter both finished with two goals and an assist, while Belisle and Tyler Hinterser added one goal and one assist apiece.
Winter opened the scoring on assists from Hinterser and Gabe Wahl midway through the first. Aberdeen’s Stepan Pokorny, who totaled four goals in the game, tied things up late in the period.
Brookings retook the lead on a Bjork goal in the second. Kendrick Frost and David Israel were credited with assists. The Wings again pulled even later in the stanza as Pokorny scored.
Aberdeen grabbed its first lead at 3-2 after Nic Sicoly found the back of the net with 13:52 remaining in regulation.
The Blizzard answered with a scoring spree, scoring three times in less than 3 minutes.
Belisle got it going with a goal with 13:23 remaining. Bjork assisted.
Hinterser converted with 10:45 to play. Winter was credited with an assist.
Winter’s goal put Brookings ahead 5-3 with 10:25 showing on the clock.
Pokorny kept the Wings in it with a goal at the 5:13 mark, before lighting the lamp again with 3:30 to play to tie things up at 5-5. Brad Belisle assisted on both goals, as he finished the night with four helpers.
Jack Caruso made 32 saves to earn the win in goal.
Aberdeen starter Connor Close stopped 17 shots and allowed four goals in 49:15 of game time. Matt Vernon took the loss after surrendering two goals and making four saves over the final 15:40.
The Blizzard (9-31-2-1, 21 points) and Wings (32-6-2-1, 67 points) face off again tonight at 7:05 in Brookings.
