WARRENDALE — Freeport failed to hold a two-goal lead once. Coach Dave Hepler wasn't about to let it happen again.

"All we wanted to do in the third period was not allow a goal in the first five to seven minutes and not let them possess the puck inside our blue line,"Hepler said.

"I didn't want to see any of our players making moves with the puck in our end. If you have to chip it out, do it. Just get it out of there."

The strategy worked for a 5-3 WPIHL Class A victory over Mars in a battle of division leaders Friday night at Warrendale BladeRunners.

The Yellowjackets (14-3-2) won their ninth straight game and maintained their narrow lead in the North Division over Bishop McCort.

The Planets (12-5-1) began the night tied with Serra Catholic atop the South Division.

"We didn't play very well tonight,"Mars coach Eric Glover said. "We had five kids coming off injuries who were in their first game back. We were a little rusty."

The Planets surrendered five goals in a game only once before all season — a 5-1 loss to Quaker Valley Dec. 12.

Beau Zack had two goals and two assists for Freeport, giving him 33 goals and 54 points on the season, and Patrick Spangler added a pair of goals, including the game-winner.

The Yellowjackets grabbed a 2-0 lead in the first period. Zack scored a power-play goal by skating behind the net and stuffing the puck behind Mars goaltender Greg Lewis. Shane Gallagher added a shorthanded goal off a 2-on-1 break, taking a pass from Zack and stickhandling past a defenseman before scoring.

Mars scored on that same power play seconds later, when Ian Finney netted his 19th goal of the campaign by beating goaltender Tim Zahumensky over the shoulder with a wrist shot from the slot.

The Planets tied the game with 49 seconds left in the period when Mike Heltman stole the puck from a defenseman and snapped it past Zahumensky.

"He just picked his pocket,"Hepler said. "We were sloppy in our own end and we can't play that way."

Spangler got Freeport the lead it never lost in the second period, when he put in a rebound off a Zach Hepler slapshot less than two minutes into the period, then scored his 29th goal of the year after picking up a loose puck and wristing it past Lewis.

Zahumensky kept Mars at bay from there, stopping 25 of 28 shots overall.

"Timmy had an outstanding game. He was the difference,"Hepler said.

Heltman knocked in his own rebound to pull the Planets within a goal with 4:58 left, but Zack scored a power-play goal with nine seconds remaining to seal the deal for Freeport.

Notes: Anderson, Kenitz, Cody Kier, Sam Mashuda and Justin Kovach were Mars seniors honored during a pre-game ceremony. ... Freeport has outscored its opponents 65-18 during its nine-game winning streak. ... Mars and Freeport skated to a 2-2 overtime tie in their previous meeting this year. ... The Yellowjackets close their regular season vs. Sewickley Academy Wednesday at Belmont Arena. The Planets close regular season play with road games at Deer Lakes Sunday and at Center on Tuesday.

Freeport 2 2 1 — 5Mars 2 0 1 — 3First PeriodFreeport: Beau Zack 32 PP(unassisted) 10:46;

Freeport-Shane Gallagher 15 SH (Zack) 13:13;

Mars: Ian Finney 19 PP(Sam Mashuda, Mike Kenitz) 13:51;

Mars: Mike Heltman (7 (unassisted) 14:11

Second PeriodFreeport: Patrick Spangler 28 (Zach Hepler, Zack) 1:56;

Freeport:Spangler 29 (unassisted) 5:09

Third PeriodMars:Heltman 8 PP(Mike Mazzotta, Jake Takach)10:02;

Freeport: Zack 33 PP(unassisted) 14:51

Shots on goal: Freeport:6-13-3-22, Mars: 10-9-9-28

Power play opportunities:Freeport2-for-7, Mars 2 for 7