Photo by Cody Tomer Wheeling Central’s Colby Hartman, left, battles Morgantown’s Carter Kline for possession of the puck during Sunday’s 15th Annual Bob Otten Championship at WesBanco Arena.

WHEELING — Morgantown made its return to the Bob Otten Tournament one to remember.

The Mohawks rallied from two goals down in the third period of Sunday’s West Virginia High School Hockey Championship to secure a 5-4 overtime win over three-time defending champion Wheeling Central at WesBanco Arena.

With 1:02 gone in the extra period, game MVP Carter Kline delivered the game-winning goal on an assist from tournament MVP Quintin Smith to send his teammates spilling onto the ice in celebration.

“I just caught a pass from Quintin, went down there and I knew they were a little tired so I put a shot on the net,” Kline said. “Luckily it got through.”

Morgantown’s victory comes after a long hiatus from the Bob Otten Tournament, but for coach Robert Rockis II, it’s worth the wait.

“This team has worked so hard to get here,” Rockis said. “I’m just glad that we finished it off with a big trophy and a banner.”

The Mohigans trailed 4-2 with under 13 minutes remaining in the contest when the game-winning duo of Smith and Kline struck for the first time.

This time it was Kline finding Smith for a goal at 12:11 to create a one-goal deficit.

Then, a penalty on Kline sent him to the box for two minutes. His teammates bailed him out, killing the power play with no damage done.

Less than a minute later, the tables were turned. This time it was Central star Chase Edgerton heading to the box for slashing. Morgantown took advantage.

Senior forward Braden Phillips raced down the ice, made a slick move on a defender in the right circle and buried the puck in the top right corner of the cage for the unassisted equalizer with 6:46 to play.

“That was big,” Rockis said. “We knew if we could stop going to the penalty box we would have a chance. Halfway through the third, it seemed like everything changed and we started clicking.

“We got two goals there and tied it up. It’s just fantastic.”

Edgerton was again called for slashing with 1:52 remaining and Caleb Karnell took a roughing call with :15 to play, leaving the Knights shorthanded to start the overtime period.

“That was a very unfortunate turn of events,” Central coach Jake Fullerton said. “Not much time left, it’s hard to see that penalty called. I saw the slash happen but it definitely hurt having him in the box for that amount of time because he is one of our high powered guys on offense and he wasn’t able to be out there to make plays.”

Not long after Edgerton made his way back on the ice in overtime, Kline provided the game-winner for the Mohawks.

“Coming up here on their home ice and having the tough schedule of playing Linsly and Central on back-to-back nights was very difficult but we persevered and got through it,” Kline said. “We had a two-goal deficit but we battled back and won it in overtime.”

Morgantown goalie Sydney Smith was brilliant, turning away 27 shots and Central senior Jacob Laurine finished his high school career with 19 saves.

Turner Lawrence supplied the game’s first goal off of a rebound to put Morgantown up 1-0 but Central responded.

Senior captain Clay Slyder fired a missile from the far end of the right circle to beat Sydney Smith to tie the game.

Central senior Kyle Newmeyer added a pair of goals in the second period and Lawrence collected his second of the game as Central led 3-2 heading to the third.

Karnell put the Maroon Knights up 4-2 with a one-timer from the slot on an assist from J.D. Lahood with 13:23 left to play.

Slyder, Edgerton, Newmeyer and Laurine were the four seniors on the roster and all were huge playmakers during their outstanding careers at Central.

“The four seniors we have are guys that definitely left their mark on Central hockey,” Fullerton said. “They’ve been the backbone of this team all year, there is no doubt about it. They will be missed.”