Luke Philp's goal 14 seconds from the end of overtime helped the Kootenay ICE slip past the Calgary Hitmen 7-6 in Cranbrook Friday.
Philp finished with two goals on the night, while linemate Tim Bozon forced extra time for the home side with a short-handed marker 68 seconds from the end of the third period as Kootenay extended its winning streak to four games.
The ICE were forced to overcome deficits on multiple occasions Friday, including in the first period when the Hitmen jumped out to a 2-0 lead on a breakaway tally from Jake Virtanen and deflection goal from Taylor Sanheim.
But Kootenay closed the gap to one goal before the end of the opening frame thanks to Philp, who was one of five ICE players to finish with a multi-point night.
Kootenay equalized just shy of the four-minute mark of period two when Jaedon Descheneau rifled a hard wrist shot past Calgary goaltender Mack Shields. The ICE then took the lead at 12:16 thanks to Vince Loschiavo, who potted his third goal of the year.
The see-saw affair continued through the remainder of the second period, first on a short-handed goal from Chase Lang that tied the game at 3-3 before Tyler King and Adam Tambellini exchanged goals 2:11 apart in the late stages of the frame.
The Hitmen then took the first of their two third period leads on a goal from import forward Radel Fazleev, but Kootenay again tied the game through Zak Zborosky just over three minutes later.
Sanheim recorded his second goal of the game with 7:56 remaining in regulation time, caroming a shot through ICE goaltender Wyatt Hoflin from behind the goalline to give Calgary a 6-5 lead.
Kootenay continued to press, and moments after being thwarted on a glorious stop by Hitmen replacement goaltender Evan Johnson, ICE forward Tim Bozon wristed home a short-handed goal of his own from the left-wing circle to tie the score at 6-6 with 1:08 left to play.
Following Bozon's equalizer, Kootenay was forced to extinguish a 50 second five-on-three, with Hoflin standing tall in the final seconds of the period to force overtime.
With time winding down in the five minute extra period, the ICE found their game-winner, as Reinhart set up Philp in the right-wing circle for a wrist shot that eluded Johnson and banked into the net off the left post.
Hoflin made 32 saves to record the win in goal for Kootenay, while Johnson stopped 13 of 17 shots after coming on in relief of Shields after Loschiavo's second-period goal.
Friday's win marks the first time in ICE franchise history in which the team has collected victories in each of its first four overtime or shootout games.
With his four-assist performance, ICE forward Sam Reinhart moved to within four helpers of all-time franchise leader Jarret Stoll, who recorded 162 assists during his tenure with the club.
UP NEXT: The ICE hit the road Saturday for a visit with the Lethbridge Hurricanes. Game time is 7:00 pm.