Extra time didn’t mean extra fun for the Fredericton Red Wings.
In an offensive-starved Maritime Hockey League game Thursday at the Grant*Harvey Centre, the visiting South Shore Lumberjacks defeated the Red Wings, 2-1 in overtime, snapping an eight-game winless kid with the extra session.
Defenceman Josh Nicholson took a pass during 3-on-3 overtime and galloped in alone, burying a snapshot past Fredericton goaltender Jack Grant at the 2:40 mark.
The win avenged a 4-3 overtime for Fredericton over South Shore back on Nov. 23.
Scoreless through the first, the LJacks opened the scoring when Ian Smallwood tucked home his 11th of the season, following up on his own rebound with 2:54 to play. Captain Logan O’Neil picked up his 29th assist of the season on the goal.
It fully appeared Smallwood’s goal was going to stand the test of time, but Fredericton would tie it when Zach Alchorn popped his 11th of the year after some tremendous work from linemates Nathan Kelly and Ethan Stuckless deep behind Mogan Kini in the South Shore goal.
The puck came out front to Alchorn, who made no mistake hammering a snapshot home to tie things.
In the extra session, the game was decided when Smallwood fired a pass into the neutral zone to Nicholson, catching the Red Wings flat-footed for a lengthy breakaway.
It was his second of the year.
Neither team could light the lamp in the first period, a frame that featured plenty of pace but limited legitimate scoring opportunities.
The best chance came midway through the opening 20 minutes when Fredericton’s Liam Smith found himself alone in front of Kini.
Smith got plenty of wood on the shot, but the Jacks’ goaltender flashed the left pad and stone the Red Wing bid.
South Shore owned an 8-7 shots on goal edge in the first, but was outshot 35-24 overall.
Fredericton returns to home ice Saturday, hosing the Grand Falls Rapids at 7 p.m. The Red Wings are also home Sunday for a 2 p.m. tilt with Amherst Ramblers.