Junior Blues lose to Topeka in OT

By Staff report

Yu Hikosaka scored at 2 minutes 53 seconds of overtime to lift the Topeka RoadRunners past the Springfield Junior Blues 2-1 Friday night in a North American Hockey League game at Nelson Center.

Topeka (9-8-0) took a 1-0 lead when Cam Strong scored at 9:24 of the first period. The Junior Blues tied it on Brennan Blaszczak’s goal at 6:26 of the second.

The Junior Blues outshot Topeka 36-28, but RoadRunners goalie Tyler Johnson made 35 saves. Springfield goalie Niko Della Maggiore stopped 26 shots.

The Junior Blues (9-3-2) had a three-game winning streak snapped but picked up one point in the standings for the overtime loss.

The teams play again at 7:05 p.m. Saturday at Nelson Center.