Sam McKechnie's goal 24 seconds into overtime lifted the Saskatoon Blades to a 5-4 victory over the Kootenay ICE Sunday at Western Financial Place.
ICE forward Tim Bozon posted his second hat-trick of 2015, scoring with less than a minute to force extra time as the hosts erased a three-goal deficit to earn a point.
Saskatoon shot out of the gate with two goals inside the first six minutes of the game. Wyatt Sloboshan opened the scoring with a hard slapshot after he came across a loose puck in the slot at 2:14 of the opening period.
Josh Uhrich added a power-play tally just over three minutes later, and the Blades extended their lead to 3-0 with 4:36 remaining in the first frame after defenseman Amil Krupic's shot from the right point sailed through traffic and past Kootenay goaltender Declan Hobbs.
Bozon got the ICE on the board with 29 seconds left in the period, converting from the slot after a pass from the left wing by linemate Matt Alfaro.
McKechnie put Saskatoon up 4-1 early in the second period, but the Kootenay offense struck twice in the latter half of the stanza.
Bozon collected a power-play marker at 11:37 before first-year forward Vince Loschiavo snapped home his fifth goal of the season with 2:27 left in the period to cut the Blades' lead to 4-3.
The ICE pressed for an equalizer, and found one in the final minute of period three. Bozon strode across the blue line and from the right wing rifled a puck over the right shoulder of Saskatoon netminder Brock Hamm for his hat-trick goal.
The Blades would win the extra point early in overtime though, as McKechnie flipped a puck past Hobbs from just outside the Kootenay crease after a hard goalward pass frmo Cameron Hebig.
16 year-old Hobbs, making his first career WHL start, stopped 25 shots for the ICE, while Hamm made 33 saves for Saskatoon.
Jaedon Descheneau had two assists for Kootenay.
UP NEXT: the ICE visit the Lethbridge Hurricanes Tuesday night before returning home Friday to host the Edmonton Oil Kings on Western Financial Group "Pink the Rink" night. Fans are encouraged to wear pink to Friday's game as a stand against bullying.