LEAMINGTON – The Sarnia Legionnaires dropped a heartbreaking overtime thriller here Saturday.

Coach Jeff Perry’s Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League squad outshot and outplayed the home team, only to fall 6-5 in extra time.

Leamington took advantage of shaky Sarnia goaltending to grab the win, which came before just 239 fans.

In fact, the Flyers jumped into a quick lead, scoring on a point shot with the game just over five minutes old. But the Legionnaires squared matters at 8:36 of the opening frame when Shawn Waldie fired home a low wrist shot from the slot. Chase Clark and Andy Sokol assisted.

The Flyers went ahead again a few minutes later, but Clark tied the game with another shot from the slot, this one assisted by Owen Rogers and Jesse Drydak.

Leamington jumped into a 4-2 lead in the second stanza, driving starting Sarnia goalie Jesse Raymond out of the net in the process. But Waldie brought the Legionnaires close with a shot from a bad angle that appeared to handcuff the Leamington goalkeeper. Anton Zupancic and Tanner Ferguson got helpers.

In the third period Ferguson tied the game at 4-4 when his drive from the top of the faceoff circle lit up the red lamp. For the 16-year-old defenceman, it was his second goal of the campaign.

But Leamington went ahead again at the 14:10 mark. And when Sarnia got a penalty with less than two minutes to play, it looked as if the game was over. But the Legionnaires battled back, scoring a dramatic last-minute, shorthanded goal to force overtime.

With goalie Kyle Washer on the bench for an extra attacker, Zupancic rifled home a shot from the point to tie the game at 5-5. Clark and Steve Farlow assisted.

Leamington’s Brett Babkirk got the winner on the powerplay just 28 seconds before OT was set to expire.

* Sarnia was two-for-nine on the powerplay, while Leamington was three for seven.

 * Sarnia outshot Leamington 47 to 36 and, overall, their shots were of the far more dangerous variety.

* The Legionnaires, who are now 16-17-6, return to action next Thursday when they host Lambton Shores.

* Sarnia’s Jake Unsworth has been lost for the balance of the season with a shoulder injury that was not suffered in Leamington.

 * Washer almost got an assist when he sprang a Legionnaire forward into the clear with a 100-foot pass.