Aviators storm back for overtime win over Maine
LEWISTON, Maine – The Elmira Aviators (20-32-3-1) battled back to take down the Maine Nordiques (32-18-4-2) 4-3 in overtime at the Colisee Thursday night.
The Nordiques got off to a hot start with Zion Green scoring two first-period goals to put Maine in the driver’s seat.
Elmira responded with one of its best periods in recent memory with a dominant second frame. The Aviators rattled off three unanswered goals with Matt Maglio, Curtiss Sturgeon and Bryce Terry getting on the scoresheet.
Jack Kohlmann kicked off the high-flying period by delivering a beautiful cross-ice pass to Maglio, who blasted the puck home with a one-time shot. Frankie DeRosa picked up an assist on the goal as well for his first NAHL point.
The Aviators continued to thrive in transition with Jett Otwell saucing a pass to the slot for Clarence Beltz. Beltz was stopped on the doorstep, but Sturgeon found the rebound and backhanded the puck to the back of the Maine net, tying the game at two.
Bryce Terry gave the Aviators the lead with his body. Defenseman Brenden Bedorf threw the puck from the near corner boards, and the frozen biscuit bounded off Terry’s leg into the back of the net to give Elmira a 3-2 lead.
The Nordiques would fire back in the third period, tying the game 3-3. Maine outshot Elmira 17-5 in the final period of regulation. The Nordiques outshot the Aviators 35-30 for the game.
However, Elmira goaltender Wesley Jefferson-Swint II improved as the game progressed, making 32 saves on 35 shots en route to victory.
The Aviators were the better transitional team all night long, and it was highlighted in the extra session. Curtiss Sturgeon carved out a breakaway where he was impeded from behind, but no penalty came.
The Nordiques carried ahead with Zion Green searching for his hat-trick, but he was stripped from behind by Ben Norris with a great stick check. Norris accelerated into the Maine zone on a breakaway, and as he was tripped from behind, the Minnesota native remained composed and buried the game winner from his knees.
Norris mixed in some eye-popping dangles on the break for his game winner, creating one of the best goals of the Aviators’ inaugural season.
Elmira snapped a six-game skid in the opening games of a series with the win Thursday night. The Aviators also broke a four-game losing streak overall.
Elmira will go for its first sweep since Jan. 17 and 18 at the New Hampshire Mountain Kings Friday night.
The Aviators pulled themselves out of the basement of the East Division with the victory and will try to put further distance between themselves and the Northeast Generals before the two sides face off in the final series of the season next weekend.
Game 2 against the Nordiques will begin at 7:30 p.m. Friday night. The game can be streamed on NATV and listened to on Big Foot Country Legends.
Mac Young is the play-by-play voice of the Elmira Aviators. To contact him, email [email protected].