JAMESTOWN – Oh, how close!

Jamestown Blue Jays Girls Hockey was only two minutes and 29 seconds from a first state tournament berth in four years Saturday before Grand Forks rallied for a 5-4 overtime win at Wilson Arena to end the Blue Jays’ season.

Jamestown (5-14-1-3, 5-14-0-3 League) began Saturday two points behind eighth-place Minot United and needed a win to make next week’s state tournament.  The Blue Jays grabbed a 4-3 lead at 14:31 of the third period when Izzy Maddock, assisted by Grace Allmaras, scored on the power play.

But the Knightriders (18-4-1-0, 17-4-1-0) tied the game with 1:25 to play on a power play goal by Dustee Balek and won the game on the second goal of the afternoon by Reese Meagher at 1:59 of overtime.

Jocelyn Kuhl placed Grand Forks in front with just three seconds left in the first period before Jamestown took a 2-1 lead in the second period.  Maci Fisher tied the game, assisted by Maddock, at 1:39 and Maddie Roaldson, with an assist by Brooke Dietrich, put the Jays in front at 5:48.

Then, Grand Forks again scored with only three seconds left in a period, this time the second, on the first goal of the game by Meagher.

Allmaras potted a shorthanded goal for a 3-2 Blue Jays’ lead at 3:55 of the third period before Ella Yahna tied the game for the Knightriders with a power play goal 56 seconds later.

Grand Forks outshot Jamestown 40-26.  Blue Jays goalie Ady Bakalar made 35 saves.