The Junior Bruins have had the Twin City Thunder’s number all season — until Saturday’s matchup.

The Thunder scored late in the third period and defeated the Bruins 4-3 in a shootout at Norway Savings Bank Arena in Auburn.

“It was a good battle; every game we have played against them is close,” Thunder coach Dan Hodge said. “…We got the bounces tonight.”

The Junior Bruins (16-19-2, 34 points) took a 1-0 lead nearly two minutes into the game when Svante Strandberg found the back of the net.

Ervin Terwilliger got a shot past Jr. Bruins goalie Griffin Davis nearly 14 minutes into the opening period, tying the game at 1-1.

“(Jack Henry) Lages shot from the point and it hit two shin pads, and (Terwilliger) was standing right there,” Hodge said.

Jeremy LaCroix got the puck past Thunder goalie Ludvig Svensson halfway through the game for a 2-1 lead for the Bruins.

Twin City battled back in the second half of the third period when Scott Lagos scored his first goal of the season.

“He got hurt the first game of the season — he got a concussion — and he’s been battling back and getting healthy,” Hodge said of Lagos. “It has been a long road for him, but he’s doing well.”

However, right off the center ice faceoff, Shane Baker went down the ice and put the Bruins up 3-2.

After the Bruins called time timeout late in the game, Nolan Leonard forced overtime with his sixth goal of the season.

Leonard is another player who’s just getting back healthy.

“He had an upper-body injury before Christmas, and he had some procedures done,” Hodge said. “He’s back healthy now and he adds depth to the lineup for sure.”

James Tatro and Leo Mantenuto had the assists.

After a scoreless 3-on-3 overtime session, Roman Wainwright and Edvin Robertsson scored on the Thunder’s first two attempts in the shootout while Svensson stopped both of the Bruins’ attempts.

The Thunder return to USPHL NCDC play when they face the Northern Cyclones in a key New England Division battle on Thursday and Saturday.

The Cyclones (11-19-7, 29 points) sit in the fifth and final playoff spot and the Thunder (11-21-2, 24 points) are in sixth.

“Three out of four and we are feeling good,” Hodge said. “We have a big game Thursday with the Cyclones. They were idles this weekend, and getting a win with one of our games in hand is big. We are tied in wins with them, but we need to get some points.”

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