Austin Steger scored with 54 seconds left in regulation to force extra time, but the Nelson Leafs ended up on the losing side of a 5-4 double-overtime result against the Castlegar Rebels on Friday.
Logan Styler finished with two goals for the Rebels (3-2-0) including the game winner just moments into the second OT.
Jacob Boston, Luke Madge and Everett Hicks also scored for Castlegar, while Jason Mailhiot finished with 26 saves.
Dale Howell, Eamonn Miller and Ryan Piva joined Steger on the scoresheet for the Leafs (2-2-1). Jason Sandhu meanwhile stopped 25 shots.
Nelson opened the game on two goals by Howell and Miller for a 2-0 lead heading into the first intermission.
The Rebels rallied on goals by Boston and Madge, but Piva scored just under two minutes to the intermission to regain the Leafs’ lead.
Styler tied the game nine minutes into the third, and a short-handed goal by Hicks with just 1:10 left in regulation gave Castlegar its first lead of the game.
Steger’s late-game heroics came just 16 seconds later, guaranteeing the Leafs a point in the contest.
