Selkirk College's Cody Fidgett could always be counted on in the playoffs.
The freshman forward proved good again in the post season, leading the Saints to their first-ever B.C. Intercollegiate Hockey League championship following a 3-2 overtime win against Simon Fraser University on Saturday.
Fidgett scored the game-and cup-winner at 3: 11 of the first overtime.
The 5-11 former Delta Ice Hawks forward was a career clutch performer in the Pacific Junior Hockey League post season.
In 49 career junior B playoff games, Fidgett recorded 34 goals and 59 points, including 24 points in 19 post-season appearances last year with the Ice Hawks
Selkirk opened the best-of-three championship final series with a 2-0 victory over SFU at the Nelson and District Community Complex on Friday.
Fidgett also drew an assist on teammate Justin Sotkowy's second-period power play goal that stood up as the winner in the opening game.
On Saturday, the Clan club team took a 1-0 lead on Kale Wild's first-period penalty shot goal.
SFU then doubled the score early in the middle period on Brenden Silvester's first of the series from Jono Ceci.
But later in the period, Selkirk responded, cut-ting the deficit in half on a goal by Thomas Hardy from Mason Spear and Fidgett.
Saints' Jordan Wood sent the game into OT with a goal midway through the final frame. Fidgett's game-winner was unassisted.
It was the third time this season that Selkirk successfully came back from a deficit in the third period to beat SFU.
"Selkirk is a team with a no-quit attitude and hard work ethic, and they proved it," said SFU head coach Mark Coletta. "They won every loose puck battle on the ice. We matched the physicality part. It was a matter of work ethic and us not wanting it as badly as they did."
SFU goalie Graeme Gordon, who was a game star in both
games in the final series, kicked out 29 shots in the final.
Last season, the University of Victoria upset top seed and three-time playoff champion SFU 4-3 in overtime in a one-game final. Coletta said he hopedthe outcome of the team's sixth consecutive appearance in the intercollegiate finals would be a motivating tool for the players.
It may also change the way the club looks at how it recruits players for next season, he added.
"Teams will be recruiting for tenacity and character guys. The league is going to get even more competitive next year. We have to do our due diligence and find that kind of recruit," said Coletta.
