MANKATO — The Spirit of the Maverick Trophy remained locked up in a wooden box behind the benches in the bowels of the Verizon Wireless Center late Saturday night. Based on total goals over the weekend series between Minnesota State and Nebraska Omaha, the trophy unceremoniously went back on the bus with the red Mavericks to sit in their trophy case for another year.

The hardware mattered little to MSU, which won the second game of the Western Collegiate Hockey Association series 5-4 in overtime on a rocket shot by sophomore forward Johnny McInnis at 3:05 of the extra frame.

“I found a little energy at the end of the game,” said McInnis, who also had an assist. “Joe (Schiller) flipped it to me and I just saw daylight. I ripped it and it went in.”

Junior winger Eriah Hayes recorded his first collegiate hat trick, and Zach Lehrke scored a goal for the purple Mavericks (8-17-1, 4-13-1 in WCHA), who split the series after falling 2-1 in overtime on Friday.

The crowd of 3,834 went crazy after the McInnis’ goal, which came just a few minutes after being silenced when Omaha’s Jayson Megna tied the game with just 9.6 seconds remaining in regulation.

“I’m really proud of the way the kids battle back on three different occasions after going down,” MSU coach Troy Jutting said. “I know Omaha played hard and did a great job, but I really honestly feel our kids deserved to win that one tonight.”

The game was a back-and-forth, up-and-down battle in which Omaha outshot MSU 43-42 and had leads of 1-0, 2-1 and 3-2. Minnesota State responded to each deficit.

Omaha led 3-2 midway through third period before Hayes scored his second goal to tie the game. He completed his hat trick and gave MSU its first lead of the game with 2:14 remaining in regulation.

“Stud,” McInnis said of Hayes. “Just a stud tonight.”

Hayes’ third goal was set up by a beautiful pass from freshman Jean-Paul LaFontaine that found Hayes behind the defense between the circles.

“The kid’s got incredible vision,” Hayes said of LaFontaine. “Just a backhand dish right on my tape, and I put it home for him. I don’t score that goal without Jean-Paul making that play.”

Minnesota State couldn’t close out the win in regulation. Omaha pulled goalie John Faulkner for an extra attacker in the final minute, and after MSU lost a faceoff with 16 seconds to play, a blocked shot ended up on Megna’s tape for the tying goal.

Hayes said he and his teammates were undeterred, even with Friday’s crushing loss fresh in their minds.

“The energy on the bench was so positive,” he said. “Guys just had that feeling that, ‘Hey boys, we’ve been battling all night. We deserve to win this one, and we’re not going to let another one get away from us.”

Josh Archibald had two goals and an assist for Omaha. Megna also had an assist for a two-point game, and Terry Braadhurst assisted on two goals.

Dayn Belfour got the start in goal for Omaha in place of Ryan Massa, the goalie who was knocked out of Friday’s game and taken to the hospital after a collision in overtime (he was in the arena on Saturday). Belfour made 29 saves but was pulled for Faulkner after Hayes’ second goal.

Phil Cook remained hot and got the win, his third of the season, with 39 saves.

Minnesota State will travel to Bemidji State for a WCHA series Friday and Saturday.

Nebraska Omaha  1-1-2-0—4

Minnesota State    1-1-2-1—5

First period

Scoring: 1. UNO-Archibald 9 (Walters 12, Megna 15) 12:20; 2. MSU-Hayes 8 (Zuck 7, McInnis 5) ppg 16:55

Penalties: Mueller, MSU (kneeing) 8:59; Walters, UNO (hooking) 16:27; Montpetit, UNO, major/game misconduct (checking from behind) 16:55

Second period

Scoring: 3. UNO-Archibald 10 (White 20, Broadhurst 13) 2:48; 4. MSU-Lehrke 9 (Mosey 6) 3:36rding) 13:08

Penalties: Hayes, MSU, major (boarding) 13:08

Third period

Scoring: 5. UNO-Aneloski 3 (Young 9) 3:04; 6. MSU-Hayes 9 (Leitner 11, Elbrecht 1); 7. MSU-Hayes 10 (LaFontaine 9, Cooper 5) 17:46; 8. UNO-Megna 8 (Broadhurst 14, Archibald 5) 19:50

Penalties: None

Overtime

Scoring: 11. MSU-McInnis 5 (Schiller 12) 3:05

Penalties: None

Summaries

Shots on goal: UNO 11-18-12-2—43, MSU 16-11-13-2—42. Penalties: UNO 3 for 17 minutes, MSU 2 for 7 minutes. Power plays: UNO 0 for 2; MSU 1 for 2. Goalie saves: UNO Belfour 15-10-4-x—29 (3 GA), Faulkner x-x-7-1—8 (2 GA); MSU Cook 10-17-10-2—39 (3 GA).

Referees: Matt Ulwelling, Craig Welker. Linesmen Jarod Moen, Brandon Polich

Attendance: 3,834