For the second straight night, the Topeka Pilots and Corpus Christi IceRays could not find the game-winning goal in regulation and required extra hockey.
But, after dropping Friday night’s affair in a shootout, Topeka (12-4-2) learned from its Friday mistakes, finishing Saturday’s contest in overtime.
Halfway through the overtime session, forward Kaiden Scott raced from his behind the net in his defensive end and skated through the IceRays defense, beating goaltender Cal Sandquist five-hole, as the Pilots knocked off the IceRays 1-0 at Community Bank Center.
Scott’s goal came at 2:56 of overtime, with the teams deadlocked at zero after 60 minutes of regulation. It was his third tally of the season.
Goaltender Guy Blessing got the victory for the Pilots to improve his record to 3-1-1 on the season. Blessing stopped 28 shots on the evening, earning him his first shutout of the season and dropping his goals against average to 2.30.
Corpus Christi (9-5-4) outshot Topeka for the game, with a small 28-24 advantage. Sandquist dropped to 5-3-1 with the loss.
Topeka now returns home for a match up with the NAHL South’s second-place team behind the Pilots, the Lone Star Brahmas on Nov. 1-2 at Landon Arena. Puck drop both nights will be at 7:05 p.m.