WARRENDALE — The Seneca Valley hockey team doesn't mind working a little overtime, as long as it works out in the end.

In Tuesday's game against Baldwin, Matt Jarrett picked up a loose puck that the Highlanders couldn't clear, took a couple of strides and slipped a shot past goalie Tim Beckham with 25 seconds remaining in overtime for a 4-3 Raiders' victory at BladeRunners.

The win was the Raiders second in three games to improve the squad to 2-3.

"This team is starting to get a rhythm," said Seneca Valley coach Mike Schall. "They stayed together as a team. Through everything, they stick together, even in overtime."

The Raiders had leads of 1-0 and 2-1, but trailed 3-2 before Kevin Raynovich scored the equalizer with 3:45 left in the second period off assists by Joe Sasala and Jarrett.

"That goal was huge," said Schall. "The guys, there's no give up in them. They find a way.

"They've been strong so far. They work so hard shift in and shift out. It's only a matter of time," Schall added.

Neither team was able to score in the third period, although the Highlanders (1-3) had a power-play opportunity with 3:01 left when Seneca Valley's Caleb Hudspath was called for boarding.

With 1:12 left (and 11 seconds on the power play), a Baldwin player hit the post. The Raiders had a couple of shots in the final seconds but couldn't get it past Beckham.

In overtime, Raiders' goalie Nick Miller made three saves to keep Seneca Valley alive while Baldwin's Chas Hoffman did likewise when he cleared a stray puck on the right side of the net when Beckham and a pair of Raiders were on the left side.

The game would continue before Jarrett's heroics sent the Raiders to the win.

With a strong defensive effort by both teams late in the game, you'd never expect the way both teams started.

Seneca Valley jumped on the board first when Andrew Tang scored 4:42 into the game off passes by Jarrett and Hudspath.

Just 43 seconds later, Nick Hinsch tied the game off helpers by Nick Posa and Sam Smith.

The Raiders responded 44 seconds later on an unassisted goal by Raynovich for a 2-1 lead.

However, with 4:01 left in the period, Smith scored to knot the game, then the Highlanders took the lead with 14:04 left in the second period on a Mike Kirk goal off an assist by Brad Haas.

"These are two evenly-matched teams," said Schall. "It just comes out at bounces."

Schall is seeing a different team this year over last season and can see his team continuing to grow strong.

"There's more of a team atmosphere," said Schall. "We can put in anyone and do well. We still have go-to guys, but we're more talented.

"I see a lot more pride, a lot more determination. It's a total team," he added.

Notes:

Miller made 31 saves for the Raiders while Beckham made 24 for the Highlanders … Raynovich appeared to suffer an arm injury early in the third period, but later returned.