The Aberdeen Wings knew what was at stake Saturday night and played like it at the Odde Ice Center.

Faced with elimination, the Wings hit the ice with a sense of urgency and rolled to a 7-3 win over Bismarck in their NAHL Central Division playoff series, tying it at two games apiece and forcing a game five Monday night in Bismarck.

“We played a good hockey game,” said Wings coach Scott Langer. “Our speciality teams were good. We found ways to score goals and now we get an opportunity to play another game.”

The game was in stark contrast to Friday night when the Bobcats scored three first-period goals and the Wings never recovered. This time it was Aberdeen that set the tone, scoring in the opening minutes of the contest when Easton Edwards found the back of the net on a power play.

“It was kind of a fortunate bounce. The power play was winding down. I found myself in front of the net,” Edwards said. ” Kind of got a fortunate bounce, kind off my body. Obviously, it’s super exciting to get a goal early on in the first period and get the fans into the game.”

Aberdeen led just 1-0 after the opening period, but it could have been much more as the Wings owned a 17-6 shots on goal advantage.

“That first period was really good, especially when you play like that at home. Being on the road for them, that’s not an easy period,” Langer said. “Their goalie was excellent, because that probably could have been 4-0 after the first.”

The flood gates opened in the second period as the Wings tacked on four more goals for a 5-0 lead, before the Bobcats got two back by the end of the period.

Jibber Kuhl scored just 23 seconds into the period to start the scoring barrage.

Owen Pitters scored less than a minute later as Aberdeen took control.

“Honestly, I did not see the puck until it was sitting there right in the crease,” Pitters said, “and I knew I was not missing that.”

Edwards added a second goal before Matthew Martin found the back of the net later in the period.

While the Bobcats eventually clawed to within 5-3 in the final period, Aberdeen responded with a goal from Cooper Anderson before adding a empty net goal by Kuhl in the closing minutes.

As a result, the series is now heading back to Bismarck for the deciding game.

“There’s nothing else I’d rather be doing on a Monday for sure,” Pitters said.

When asked the keys to winning that contest, Pitters responded, “Just same game plan we had coming into today. Leave it all on the line. The only thing you can really control is your effort and your details out there, and whatever happens, happens.”

Aberdeen finished with a 42-38 edge in shots with goalie Willum Braun collecting 35 saves.

After the Wings came up huge in a win or go home game, now both teams face that situation in the final game contest.

“I think all the pressure was on us tonight, especially at home and how the game went (Friday) night, so now I think the pressure flips onto them,” Edwards said. “They’re in their home rink in front of their home fans. Obviously, we were down 2-1 and now the series is tied. It’s best of one, and hopefully we come out on top.”

After four hard-fought, physical and intense battles, it’s no surprise that this series will come down to one final contest.

“We gave ourselves an opportunity to win another hockey game, and you win another hockey game you’re in another round,” Langer said. “That’s all you can ask right now. That’s playoff hockey. Everybody knew this was going five.”

To see a complete box score, click on the following link:

https://www.aberdeenwings.com/game-center/?game_id=2869673&season_id=14810