It was the beginning of a new era and it started in thrilling fashion on Monday night at the Barkman Arena.

The Prairie Hockey Academy, which is playing its inaugural season, saw its Elite 15s team play their first home game on Monday and they put on a show for the big crowd in Caronport.

Despite trailing 4-0 in the first period and by three goals, 5-2, heading into the third period, PHA was able to storm back with four unanswered goals to win 7-6 in overtime over the Weyburn Midget AA Red Wings.

“It was great, the boys battled and we showed a lot of heart,” said forward Atley Calvert after the win.

Calvert scored three goals, including the game-tying goal with 6:40 remaining in regulation, and finished with four points in the win.

PHA trailed 5-2 heading into the third period, but a power play goal from Ben Peterson cut into the lead, but only for a short time as Weyburn answered right back just 29 seconds later.

After that PHA went to work, striking twice on the power play and picking up two goals from Calvert to tie the game at 6-6, forcing overtime.

Defenceman Maximus Wanner was the hero for PHA just 37 seconds into the 3-on-3 overtime period.

PHA forward Atley Calvert controls the puck behind the net before scoring the game-tying goal in the third period on Monday. (Photo: Marc Smith)

“It’s a gutsy effort, we stuck to our game plan and it was just battling through for sixty minutes,” said PHA head coach Rodney MacPhee. “We told them from the get-go that they might get a goal or two but you just have to stick with the plan and they showed that they have the heart and compete.”

The start of the game didn’t go great for PHA as Weyburn’s Holden Kopec struck for the opening goal just 50 seconds into the contest.

The Red Wings would build up a 4-0 over the next 15 minutes with a pair of goals from Brosaw Schmeltzen and one from Kyle Perras.

PHA would finally get on the board with 1:31 to go in the opening frame when Tanner Funk scored to make it 4-1 after one.

“We showed a lot of resiliency,” said Calvert. “We didn’t quit and that’s what we want our identity to be, never quit.”

Calvert scored his first of the game with 4:23 left in the second period to cut Weyburn’s lead to 4-2, but it was short lived as just 1:16 later, the Red Wings retook their three-goal lead on a goal from Rylan Neiszner.

MacPhee said once they cleaned up the turnovers, the team started to find their footing.

“Some of that is just recognizing that things you got away with at the level that you came from last year, you’re not going to be able to do that,” he said.

“We just told them to stick with the system, stick with the plan and it will work, and they’re buying in and believing in it and they’re getting the results for it.”

Calvert had a pair, while Kirk Mullen also scored during the four-goal third period for PHA.

The PHA team is made up of 14 and 15-year-old players, while the Weyburn squad has players as old as 17, but PHA held their own throughout the game and started to dictate the physical play as the game went on.

“Our identity is going to be our compete and no-quit, and we’ve proven that through seven games so far,” said MacPhee.

PHA out-shot Weyburn 55-31 with goalies Chase Coward and Ryley Gross combining to make 25 saves for the win.

PHA is now 3-4 on the year after they attended a season-opening tournament in Calgary two weeks ago. There they competed against some of the top Elite 15 and Bantam Prep teams from across the country.

MacPhee said he’s excited to see the growth that this team will show over the course of the season.

“We have a really good mixture of players and the more that we play these games is creating that identity and they’re recognizing that they’re a good team and can compete,” he said.

“Being on the ice everyday, we’re able to work on the details that effect us in these games and we’ll keep getting stronger and move forward with that.”

Calvert said he’s seen the team coming together nicely since they started practicing together at the start of the month.

“Since day one, it’s just been straight steps upward,” he said. “It’s great getting to skate every day.”

PHA will host the OHA Edmonton Bantam Prep team for another set of home games coming up in Oct. and they will be attending tournaments over the course of the season with a goal of playing between 35-50 games this season.