Losing is difficult, but even more difficult when it's by one goal in overtime.

With 27 seconds left before the game would have ended in a tie, Moose Lake scored the game winner, to give the North Branch boys hockey a 7-6 loss.

First period scoring came quickly for the Vikings, with a goal coming just over a minute into the game. Sophomore forward Gavin Runberg, finished off his shift by going through a few Moose Lake defenders before passing the puck off to senior centerman, Jack Williams, who scored to put the Vikings up 1-0.

For the Vikings next goal, junior forward, Dalton Miska ripped a slapper off the helmet of the Rebel goalie and the puck continued on and into the net.

Scoring the team's third goal was junior forward Josh Arnold who took a long slapshot that found its way by the goalie to tie the game at 3. Arnold was assisted by sophomore forward Lane Noyes.

Moose Lake found the back of the net to bookend the scoring and end the second period with a 4-3 lead.

The third period saw the Vikings find the net consecutively with a rebound goal by sophomore forward Ken Broden, assisted by Williams.

On the power play, Williams nabbed his third point of the evening with a lone goal by following his shot to the net and converting on the rebound.

The pace continued to quicken and sophomore forward Jarrett Sachs found himself on a breakaway and scored a goal with 1:38 to play.

With 58 seconds left in regulation, Moose Lake knotted the score at 6-6 to send the game into overtime.

After eight minutes, Moose Lake scored and ended the game.

Scott Dennis manned the nets and turned away 26 of 33 shots. The Vikings had 38 shots on goal, to 33 from Moose Lake.

"The overall effort for the game was there certainly. We also need to recognize that when we have the lead late in the game that we need to tighten up defensively," Schulte said.