The Lincoln Stars scored 27 seconds into overtime to complete a comeback and defeat the Fargo Force, 4-3, in overtime on Friday night at Scheels Arena.

Lincoln (36-19-3-1) trailed 3-1 with 48.7 seconds remaining in the third period but roared back to tie the game and then scored 27 seconds into overtime to defeat Fargo (38-13-4-4) for the fourth time this season.
 

Doug Grimes scored the game-tying goal with 1.3 seconds remaining in regulation and Boston Buckberger gave the Stars their second overtime win of the season.
 

The Stars are now 11-2-0-1 since the start of March and have surpassed last season's win total with three games remaining in the regular season.
 

"They know that their time is limited," head coach Rocky Russo said. "I tell the team each year that you have a finite amount of time with these brothers and that we need to take advantage of each day. I think they realized 'we really like each other. We really want to be around each other. We appreciate the culture that we've built. We love playing for each other and we don't want that to end. So let's make every day a great day and let's win as many hockey games as we can so that we can stay together for as long as we can.'"
 

The Stars took a 1-0 lead into the final five minutes of regulation when Grimes scored on a two-on-one rush at the 15:15 mark of the second period. Leo Gruba tied the game up two seconds prior to the the same mark in the third period before Brett Link was tripped up and scored on a penalty shot 1:26 later. Link added an empty netter at the 19:12 mark to seemingly put the game out of reach.
 

Lincoln had other plans. Fargo won the ensuing faceoff but quickly lost control. All three Stars forward charged up the middle and the puck found its way to Tanner Ludtke all alone on a mini breakaway. He was tied up and his shot was denied but Mason Marcellus followed up to score just seven seconds after Link's second goal.
 

Ludtke picked up his second assist of the game 40 seconds later when he fired the puck from beneath the goal line in the far corner into the crease and the rebound trickled to Grimes at the near post in the waning seconds. Grimes cashed in with his second of the game and fourth career multi-goal game. Three of them having come this season and he now has five goals in his last three games.
 

"Rocky immediately looked at us five (on the power play) and said 'get back out there,'" Grimes said. "We knew we had a job to do. When we scored that first one we knew we had time to pull the goalie. We were eager for it. I knew I had to be by the net and ready for a bounce. Luckily when Tanner threw it on it bounced my way and I was able to put it in the net."
 

In overtime Buckberger led the charge up ice from deep in his own zone, dropped the puck off to Fernandez and one-touched the return feed for his eighth goal of the season. Both Stars' overtime winners have been scored by defenseman this season after Fernandez scored the game-winner against Sioux Falls on Feb. 10. Ludtke picked up the secondary assist to earn an assist on all three of the Stars' final three goals.
 

The Stars remain in third place in the Western Conference standings after the Waterloo Black Hawks defeated the Omaha Lancers, 4-2, on Friday night. Waterloo hosts Sioux City on Saturday and the Black Hawks are one point ahead of the Stars entering the final three games of the regular season. The top two seeds in the Western Conference earn a first round bye.

Lincoln moves four points ahead of the Tri-City Storm, who lost to Des Moines in overtime. The Stars face the Storm next weekend in a home-and-home set with Friday, April 21 being the Stars' final home game of the regular season. This weekend's road trip to Fargo wraps up with a 6:05 p.m. game on Saturday night at Scheels Arena.


 

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