It may not have been the prettiest of victories, but the Home Hardware Midget AAA Legionnaires managed to win their sixth in seven games Friday night at the Innovation Credit Union iPlex.

The Legionnaires defeated the Moose Jaw Generals 4-3 in overtime, in a game they trailed a large chunk of.

Hendrik DeKlerk opened scoring for Swift with a goal a hair under six minutes into the second period.

Moose Jaw responded to DeKlerk’s powerplay goal with two of their own unanswered to end the second period.

Swift managed to tie the game up at 2-2, as Mason Strutt paused in the slot, ripping a wrister upstairs in the third period.

However, Moose Jaw regained the lead just over a minute later on the powerplay.

Scoring his first career Midget AAA goal to push the game to an extra frame was Imperial-product Maguire Scheidt. The forward buried it in the Generals’ net with four minutes remaining.

Midway through OT, forward Boston Bird gained possession at the top of the circles, and sealed the Generals’ fate by himself.

“I just saw I had room in the corner, so I put it there,” Bird said, before walking out in front of the net. “Made a move on him, and then just out-waited the goalie when he came across.”

Bird tucked the puck around the pad of Reece Hodson to clinch the game, before getting swarmed in the corner by his teammates. 

“Not going to lie, just shocked… just shocked.”

Bird finished with a team-high two points, assisting on Scheidt’s goal in the third period.

“We have a great group of guys – I love everyone here, and I think we’re a good hockey team that pulls together no matter what.”

The Legionnaires’ starting netminder echoed Bird’s sentiments in a game Swift out-shot the Generals 39-28.

“It’s unbelievable, the boys never give up – always fighting in the game. We feel like we’re never out of it. We’ve had lots of games down by one with 30 seconds left, and tie it up and win, so it’s been good,” said Ethan Hein who, for the second time this year defeated his former Generals teammates.

“Playing with these guys last year, always nice to beat them and have more wins this year than last year, so that’s always a good thing.”

Hein turned aside 25 Moose Jaw shots, facing 14 in the second period alone.

“I feel I played really well, couple back-door goals there,” he said. “Other than that, I was seeing the puck well, and kept it close most of the game.”

Hein, a former WHL Bantam Draft pick of the Swift Current Broncos, now carries an .890 save-percentage, a 3.05 goals-against-average, and 5-1 record on the season.

After being part of the Broncos’ blockbuster trade with the Calgary Hitmen last season, Hein said it’s great to have success in the iPlex – a rink he didn’t have a chance to play in at the WHL level.

“For sure, these people know me – they know me around the streets. It’s nice playing well, winning some games in front of them – it’s always a good thing.”

The Legionnaires now sports an 8-3-0-0 record on the season, and look to inch closer to double-digit wins early in the season, as they host the Regina Pat Canadians on Sunday.

 “They’re a good team, we’ll just have to bring our game. Forecheck, backcheck, keep the shots outside, keep it low, and we should be able to do well,” Hein noted.

Puck drop between the Legionnaires and Pat Canadians is 1:45 p.m. at the Innovation Credit Union iPlex.