Moose Jaw’s ‘Mr. Overtime’ looks ahead to Memorial Cup match against OHL Champion London Knights

Saginaw, Mich.- Lynden Lakovic still can’t quite believe he’s following in the path of his idols at the Memorial Cup.

“It’s been unbelievable,” Lakovic said of the experience. “It’s kind of a dream come true.”

The 17-year-old is one of the youngest players at the tournament, but he also played an instrumental role in getting the Moose Jaw Warriors to the big dance.

Of Lakovic’s five goals in the WHL Playoffs, four stood as game-winners- tying him with Anaheim Ducks prospect Egor Sidorov for most game-winners in the postseason.

What’s more, three of them came in overtime.

“The biggest thing for Lack is he’s just matured on and off the ice,” Head Coach Mark O’Leary said. “What I mean by that is just his play with structure. We know he’s got all kinds of skill, he’s got all kinds of ability. He’s an unbelievable kid, you just want to be around him. But, you know, I think the step that he took this year (is) when he doesn’t have the puck, doing the work to get it back and being in good places, not cheating. That’s what he’s doing right now in his game, and it’s allowed him to have the opportunity to use the skill.”

The 6-foot-4, 185-pound winger helped exploit a Brandon turnover with a precision one-timer from the slot in overtime in Game 2 of the first round, giving the Warriors a 2-0 series lead en route to a sweep of the Wheat Kings.

He’d add another goal and assist in Game 4 to book a date in the second round against the Swift Current Broncos.

But Lakovic’s biggest moments came in the instantly iconic Eastern Conference Championship against the regular-season-leading Saskatoon Blades.

The all-Saskatchewan showdown saw six of the seven matches extend to extra time.

With Moose Jaw trailing by a goal and facing elimination in the third period of Game 6, Lakovic rimmed the puck around the boards for Rilen Kovacevic to level the game and keep their series alive.

“That comes with our punch back,” Lakovic explained. “We look at each other and we don’t want it to end.”

With the clock ticking closer to the end of the first overtime period, Lakovic ripped a shot high shortside to force Game 7, where- shocker- overtime would decide which team advanced to the WHL Championship.

Just 36 seconds into the fourth frame, Lakovic wheeled through the offensive zone and fired a shot on net, bouncing off a sea of bodies and finding its way behind Evan Gardner to eliminate the Blades.

“The second-best memory from the season, I think,” Lakovic beamed. “Obviously we’d sweep Portland, but I think Saskatoon, that was the series of the playoffs.

Words can’t describe the emotions after that. You kind of just, you go crazy. You feel like throwing your gloves off. You know you haven’t won anything yet. But yeah, it’s just pure excitement.”

Lakovic says encouragement from team leaders has also helped him build confidence in his game throughout the season, playoffs, and now, at the Memorial Cup.

Despite dropping their opening match against the host Saginaw Spirit, Lakovic says their never-say-die attitude will serve them well heading into Monday’s game against the OHL Champion London Knights.

“It was as fast as I anticipated, I thought we just came out flat,” Lakovic noted of Friday’s tournament opener. “But that’s a lesson you learn. We’ve got to have better starts and I think we’re well known for our punch back now.

We respect London and their game, we know they’re good below the dots, their neutral zone is tight and they play a gritty and skilled game. I think it sounds a lot like us, but we have to win that game. I think it’s a massive game going in for the rest of the tournament. It’s not a seven-game series. We just have to win one game and that changes perspectives a lot.”

Puck drops for Moose Jaw versus London on Monday, May 27 at 5:30 p.m. MST, with the game airing on TSN 1/5, RDS, NHL Network (USA only) and CHL TV.