"Sometimes you win when you should lose, other times you lose when you should win."

"Good teams find a way to win."

"They don't ask how, but how many."

Pick any of the clichés above, and they would apply to Friday's game.  The 'Jackets won a game that they really had no right winning.  The Yellowjackets hadn't played a game in 27 days, and on Friday night they looked like a team that hadn't played in 27 days.  Missed passes, missed checks and missed opportunities.  In the end, they found a way to win, thanks to a line that just couldn't seem to miss.

On a night when just about everyone on the team struggled, one line took the whole team on its collective back and willed it to victory.  Chris Wilson (Jr. Prince Albert, Saskatchewan), Logan Isley (So. Bonnyville, Alberta) and Talon Berlando (So. Drumheller, Alberta) accounted for all the goals, as the 'Jackets scratched and clawed their way to a 5-4 win in overtime over Gustavus at the Gusties' Lund Arena in St. Peter, Minn.

The win stretched the Yellowjackets unbeaten streak to 13 games, the third longest streak in school history. 

But it wasn't easy.  On this night, the 'Jackets fought the puck from the opening faceoff and struggled throughout.  And it started early.

The 'Jackets went shorthanded just two minutes into the game, and the Gusties capitalized on the power play.  Just six seconds into man advantage, Eric Bigham scored on a one-timer from the left point to make it 1-0 just 2:12 into the game.  Seconds later, it went to 2-0.  While shorthanded, team scoring leader David Martinson stole a pass and headed up ice.  He entered the Yellowjacket zone, got to the left circle and beat Chad Beiswenger (Sr. Moorhead, Minnesota) high on the glove side to make it 2-0 just 3:36 into the game.  The 'Jackets got on the board at 10:25 when Isley completed a nice give-and-go play with Berlando for his sixth goal of the season.  The goal also snapped a six-game goal drought for Isley.

In the second, the 'Jackets came out flying, looking nothing like the team they were in the first period.  Unfortunately, the Gusties made the most of their first chance, something the 'Jackets couldn't do.  After a defender fell down, Casey Dynan picked up a loose puck, avoided a check and waited-out Beiswenger, beating him with a backhand to make it 3-1 at 2:42 of the second period.  The 'Jackets would come back midway through the second to tie it up.  Isley had the puck on the left wing, then was pinned along the wall.  He kicked it down to the left corner for Wilson, who found Berlando out front.  Berlando beat Gusties' goaltender Matthew Lopes to make it 3-2 at 11:24 of the period.  The 'Jackets tied it less than two minutes later when Wilson picked up a loose puck behind the Gustavus goal, skated out into the slot and let a shot go that beat Lopes low on the glove side at 13:59.  Moments later, however, the Gusties took the lead back.  Another defensive lapse allowed Martinson to feed Brad Wieck just inside the Yellowjacket line.  Wieck skated into the left circle and beat Beiswenger on the stick side to make it 4-3 at 15:14.

The scored stayed that way throughout the inconsistent third period.  Then, with two minutes left, the 'Jackets caught a break.  Gustavus was whistled for a penalty and the 'Jackets were back on the power play.  Following a timeout, they went to work. Brian Bina (Jr. Grand Forks, North Dakota) stole the show, holding the offensive zone with two acrobatic plays.  On the second, he leaped and gloved the puck out of the air.  He then fed a pass over to Art Clark (Jr. Bloomington, Minnesota), who let a shot go through some traffic.  Berlando was there to get the loose puck and take his shot.  Lopes made the save, but Berlando picked up his own rebound, went to the backhand, and lifted it over the sprawled out goaltender to tie the game with 1:34 remaining in regulation.

To overtime we went, and the 'Jackets played their best hockey of the night.  With a sudden sense of urgency, the 'Jackets were hoping to leave town with the win.  With under a minute to go, Beiswenger made a save and kicked the rebound to Isley on the left wing.  Isley lifted the puck to center where Wilson sped up, got around a defender and got the puck.  He then picked up more speed and made a move toward the goal, letting a shot go that Lopes stopped.  But as Lopes was rolling over, he kicked the puck out of the air and it went into the goal, giving Wilson his second overtime winner of the year and the Yellowjackets their 14th win of the season.

Beiswenger was not his sharpest in the game, making 20 saves.  Lopes finished with 24 saves.  Each team took five penalties for ten minutes.  The 'Jackets were 2-5 on the power play while the Gusties were 1-5.

The 'Jackets (14-1-1) will look to pick up another weekend sweep with an afternoon win on Saturday at St. Olaf.  The Oles (9-4-1) fell to St. Scholastica by a 5-4 score on Friday.  Saturday's game will be broadcast live locally on KUWS 91.3 FM, beginning with the pre-game show at 1:40 p.m.  If you are outside the local listening area, you can tune in via the Internet at www.kuws.fm.  Jon Garver will have the call.