With overtime looming, Mike Tebbutt made sure extra time wasn’t needed.
The Langley Chiefs forward snapped a 3-3 tie with his second goal of the game, a 4-3 victory over the visiting Coquitlam Express.
The Chiefs have struggled in overtime this season, winning three times, tying once and losing seven.
The two junior A hockey teams clashed on Thursday night at the Langley Events Centre.
Michael Krgovich and Tebbutt exchanged goals in the first period, before Trevor Gerling and Josh Myers put the Chiefs ahead 3-1 heading into the final 20 minutes.
But the Express, in a dogfight to make the playoffs, got goals from Jason Grecica and Krgovich 3:53 apart to tie the score.
Langley goaltender Wyatt Galley made 23 saves for the win, while Coquitlam’s Khaleed Devji was under siege for much of the game, finishing with 39 saves.
The win improves Langley to 27-18-1-7 and their 62 points give them a slim one-point cushion over the Surrey Eagles, although the Eagles have played five fewer games.
Langley has seven games remaining in the regular season, including this weekend’s rematch in Coquitlam against the Express (Friday, Jan. 28) and Saturday at the Langley Events Centre vs. the last-place Cowichan Valley Capitals.
