(JKHA Sports) In an underdog matchup against the undefeated Noam Knights, the Kushner Cobras middle school girls’ hockey team captured the first league championship in Coach Alex Fuchs’ five year tenure, winning 3-2 in overtime.

The game, played at neutral site TABC, was intense and physical from the opening whistle. Forward Rya Leeds (seventh grade) found the net early in the first period to put the Cobras up 1-0. Kushner’s aggressive defense kept the ball out of their zone most of the rest of the period and into the second, when Zoe Keiser (sixth grade) rifled a shot from the wing just past Noam goalie Lily Acton.

Only a minute later the Cobra momentum faded as Noam forward Gaby Hoffer (eighth grade) scored on a lifted wrist shot in traffic. The third period remained tight and Kushner goalie Adi Levi (eighth grade) made two remarkable saves late that seemingly allowed her team to hang on to the win. But with only 1:40 remaining, the Knights’ Mia Rauzman (seventh grade) netted the game tying goal and sent the match to overtime.

After four minutes into the extra session and multiple shots for each side, Kushner forward Olivia Rinn (eighth grade) cleaned up a rebound in front of the Noam goal for the title winning score. It was a true classic hockey game with both players and fans exhausted.