The Swift Current Home Hardware Legionnaires strengthened their grip on sixth place in the Saskatchewan Midget AAA Hockey League standings with a 6-3 win over the visiting Notre Dame Argos on Thursday.
Swift Current held period leads of 2-0 and 3-2 despite being outshot by a 43-36 margin in the contest.
Justin Spagrud paced the Legionnaires offence with one goal and two assists. Matthew Audette opened the scoring 6:13 into the game, and Spagrud extended the Legionnaires lead to 2-0 on the powerplay. Notre Dame roared back with a pair of goals 2:05 apart, but Jordan Wittman scored with 3:28 left in the middle frame to help the Legionnaires escape the period with a one goal lead.
Tim Vanstone scored what proved to be the game winner 4:21 into the third period on a set up by Spagrud. Notre Dame pulled within a goal, but Blake Fournier scored a pair of late goals, including a marker into the empty net with 27 seconds left in regulation, to give Swift Current the win.
Kyler Beckett stopped 37 of 40 shots to post the win in goal for the Legionnaires.
Swift Current now sits at 17-13-2-0 with 36 points, six points ahead of the seventh place Argos and five points back of the fifth place Prince Albert Mintos.
The Legionnaires next action will be on Jan. 28-29 when they travel to Yorkton for a weekend series against the Harvest.
