FLINT, MI - The Metro Jets jumped out to a 2-0 lead Sunday afternoon in Flint, only to see the Jr. Generals score the next six.No matter, the Jets scored the next four to tie the game at 6-all.
After the five-minute overtime didn't solve anything, the game went to a shootout where Flint escaped with a 7-6 win at Iceland Arena.
"Flint is a good hockey team and I believe we're a good hockey team," said Jets coach Jason Cirone. "We usually have a cleaner game against them, but sooner or later, you have defensive breakdowns and both teams have a lot of guys that can score goals. That's what tonight was - a lot of breakdowns and a lot of goals."
Mike MacKinnon and Josh Beleski staked the Jets to a 2-0 lead in the first period, but Cody Damon answered with two of his own to send the game into the first intermission tied at 2-2.
In the second, Hayden Hanson, Anthony Terzo, Luke Dmytro and James Odom made it 6-2 Flint.
Metro starting goalie Dillon Kelley was pulled after Terzo's goal for Devin Williams, but went back in after Dmytro's goal.
Cameron Bazin made it 6-3 at 19:34 and then as time expired, Chris Hellebuyck scored to bring the Jets to within a pair.
"I thought overall that Cam was our catalyst and he's the one that really got it started by scoring the goal and drawing a penalty at the same time," said Cirone. "With him making that play happen and then with our power play stepping up at the end of the period, I thought our kids did a great job responding."
Beleski and Matt Stirling scored the only goals in the third period, making it a 6-6 game.
Flint came close to winning the game late in the third and in the overtime as co-captain Warren Carter hit the crossbar twice behind Kelley.
In the shootout, Flint goalie Ben Myers stopped Steve Klisz, Doug Andrews and MacKinnon. Hellebuyck was the only player to score.
Jr. Generals co-captain Andrew Lay, Richard Jansson and Carter solved Kelley, whose only save came on Eddie Osowski's attempt.
Kelley finished with 34 saves, while Williams had three.
Myers earned the win with a 26-save outing.
The Jets (15-11-0-1) now break for the holidays and return to action on Jan. 7 at Lakeland Arena against Flint. Metro finishes the first half of the season with as many wins as it had all of last season and in third place in the NA3HL's East Division, 10 points behind second-place Flint.
"I'm actually welcoming the break," said Cirone. "We have a lot of first-year juniors that are finding out that junior hockey is a grind and I think this is going to be refreshing to them. I think it'll give them time to reflect and get a little bit of rest and get ready for the second half."
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