BOX SCORE

ASTON, Pa. -- Robbie Seewagen has been an early-season standout at forward for the Philadelphia Little Flyers’ EHL team.

So it shouldn’t come to a surprise that he proved to be the difference maker on Sunday afternoon.

Seewagen, Philadelphia’s leading scorer, had an assist and netted the game-winning goal in overtime to give the Little Flyers a 6-5 win in a wild, penalty-filled contest at IceWorks Skating Complex.

Jake Frankenfield, Kyle Patton, Gavin Fritch, Ryan Houle and Brett Turner found the back of the net. Patton added two helpers and Turner, Fritch and Seewagen also had multi-point performances.

The Little Flyers came out buzzing in the first period. By the time the first 20 minutes were played, they had fired 20 shots on target.

It did, however, take a little bit for Philadelphia to solve Team Maryland netminder Bobby McCloskey. West had a great chance at 16:23 after a mad scramble in front. McCloskey was able to make a nice shoulder save on West to keep the game scoreless.

At 15:06, Seewagen came flying in on the forecheck and won a puck battle down low. He then found Turner backdoor but a Team Maryland defenseman got a piece of Turner’s one-timer and McCloskey smothered the puck as it trickled close to the goaline.

Philadelphia continued to press. Shane Green made a nice read at center ice and picked off a pass attempt before dishing to Evan West on the left wing. West calmly entered Team Maryland’s zone and fired a quick pass back to a breaking Green but McCloskey was again there to make two consecutive pad saves on Green from the low slot.

The Little Flyers never got discouraged and they took full advantage of a Team Maryland penalty near the midway point of the first. Patton and Ryan Clear moved the puck well back and forth on the man advantage before Frankenfield danced at the blue line and fired a heavy wrister over McCloskey’s left shoulder for a 1-0 lead.

Shortly after, West was robbed yet again after stripping a defender while shorthanded and failing to beat McCloskey on a breakaway.

Team Maryland managed to knot the game at 1-1 while up on a 5-on-3 advantage at 3:51. Evan Donnelly was credited with the PPG from Mike Kocsis.

Philadelphia took a bench minor for too many men on the ice just 44 seconds into the second period. Then Scott MeGraw was whistled for slashing at 2:04 and the bench received an unsportsmanlike conduct call at 2:15.

Tyler Cassidy stayed steady in net during the 5-on-3 for the Little Flyers. Cassidy finished the afternoon with 24 saves on 29 shots.

PLF capitalized on a Bobby Gram tripping minor at 5:47 to take a 2-1 lead. Patton won the offensive-zone draw on the ensuing faceoff and Seewagen corralled the puck along the boards. He passed back to Patton in the high slot and Patton’s snapshot breezed past McCloskey.

Team Maryland responded less than a minute later when Kocsis beat Cassidy at even strength to tie things at 2-2.

The final six minutes of the second frame belonged to the Little Flyers. Patton intercepted a pass in the defensive zone before setting up Fritch for his first career junior goal with PLF at 15:26.

With play at 4-on-4, Dante Gattone and Tyler Marvil put on a passing clinic and were relentless down low before setting up Houle for a point blast at 17:35. 

Turner gave the Little Flyers a 5-2 lead with just 40 seconds remaining the second. Luke Headman made a great play to pokecheck a Team Maryland defenseman behind the net and West found Nick Snyder in front. Turner deposited Snyder’s rebound for his first score of the year.

The third period was sloppy and chippy. Team Maryland scored twice in the first five minutes to cut Philadelphia’s lead to 5-4. Cassidy had no chance on Zach Podlesh's deflection marker at 3:30 and a defensive breakdown at 4:23 led to Halen Cookston's tally.

Just before the midway mark, Drew Iannucci evened the score at 5-5 after a nice pass from Vincent Maurice on an odd-man rush.

MeGraw nearly ended the game in regulation with 15 seconds to go but McCloskey stoned him to force overtime.

It didn’t take long for Seewagen to send Team Maryland home. Turner fed a breakout pass to Seewagen and he roared into the offensive zone. After McCloskey got a piece of his initial offering, Seewagen scooped up the rebound, cycled up the boards and fired a laser from the top of the circle past McCloskey to give the Little Flyers a 6-5 victory at 4:37.

Loose pucks
When all was said and done, Team Maryland and Philadelphia combined for 26 infractions. The Little Flyers successfully killed 9 out of their 10 shorthanded situations and went 2 for 7 while up a man. … Patton has two goals and two assists in his last two games. … Seewagen is up to four goals and five assists in seven games this season. … Fritch had a goal and an assist in his debut for Philadelphia. … Jakub Kubik was a perfect 5 for 5 on saves after Cassidy was pulled in the third period. …. These two teams will compete again Monday at Ice World. Puck drop is scheduled for 11:30 a.m.