The Aberdeen Cougars saved their best for last Sunday afternoon at the Odde Ice Center.

Jack Podoll scored the game-winning goal in overtime to lift the Cougars to a 3-2 boys’ hockey victory over Sioux Falls East.

Podoll, on an assist from Lance Siefken, scored a short-handed goal with 1:36 remaining to give Aberdeen the victory.

“Jack always seems to find a way to make a play,” said Aberdeen coach Jeremey Backous, “and today, he came up big for us.”

It took some clutch goaltending from Colton Townsend to get to that stage. The goalie finished with 33 saves in the contest, and outside of a 20-second window in the second period, did not allow a goal in about 60 minutes of action.

“Colton Townsend played big in net for us, too,” Backous said. “We had a slow start again today, but Colton kept us in the game early and gave us a chance to win.”

Lleyton Kleffman scored less than two minutes into the game to give Aberdeen an early lead. Quincy Madsen pushed the advantage to 2-0 in the second period before Sioux Falls scored two goals within 20 seconds later in the period to level the score.

After a scoreless third period, Podoll eventually produced the game-winner.

The finish helped to erase some of the frustration from Saturday night’s setback to Sioux Falls West when the Cougars were unable to hold on to a 4-1 lead.

“I’m really proud of the way the team responded after (Saturday night’s) loss,” Backous said. “We didn’t have our best early, but they stuck with it and found a way to win.”

The Cougars, 7-3 in league and 11-4 overall, head to Rapid City this upcoming weekend for games against Rushmore on Saturday and Sunday.

Sioux Falls East 0 2 0 0 – 2

Aberdeen Cougars 1 1 0 1 – 3

First Period: 1, AC, Lleyton Kleffman (Jaxson Danielson), 15:13.

Second Period: 2, AC, Quincy Madsen (Kleffman, Devon Fischbach), 13:39; 4, SFE, Nick Gray (unassisted), 5:38; 5, SFE, Max Kallas (Ben Vermeer, Sam Sahly), 5:18.

Third Period: no scoring.

Overtime: 5, AC, Jack Podoll (Lance Siefken), 1:36.

Shots on Goal: Sioux Falls East 35; Aberdeen Cougars 29.

Goalies: Sioux Falls East, Trey Salonen (27 saves); Aberdeen Cougars, Colton Townsend (33 saves).