Just as it looked like the Emmaus ice hockey team was going to be victorious over Northampton for a second straight time this year, the Kids stepped up late and made sure that didn’t happen.

Anthony Belsky and Nick Gutekunst scored the game-tying and go-ahead goals within a 20-second span to overcome a 6-5 deficit with a little over six minutes to play to defeat Emmaus 7-6 on the Monday night before Christmas at Lehigh Valley Ice Arena.

“Overall it was a great game, a great team game,” said head coach Jamie Rieder. “It was probably one of the best games we’ve played this year so far. We just didn’t catch any breaks there at the end with two penalties against us and two ensuing goals. They capitalized on them and that was the main thing. But it was a fun game to be a part of.”

Northampton had a 5-on-3 power play, which kept the Green Hornets shorthanded as two goals went by them. Those two goals changed the dynamic to the game. It was back-and-forth from the get-go.

After Northampton opened up the game with a goal from Chris Croll just 50 seconds in, Emmaus answered with two consecutive goals. But from there on out, the teams traded punches.

Matthew Shaeffer was a thorn in the side of the Kids all night, just as he has been for every other team this season. Shaeffer leads the league with 25 goals and 40 points overall. He had four goals last Monday night, the latter in the third period looked to be the game-winner.

“He’s a great player,” Northampton head coach Brian Ruff said. “I knew that if we were going to beat them, we would have to slow him down and contain him. We didn’t really do either well, but luckily it didn’t hurt us in the end.”

Croll had a hat trick, tallying the first three Northampton goals. Gutekunst also had three goals for the Kids.

With the win, Northampton (4-3-3) moves past Emmaus (3-8) in the standings.

The Green Hornets had two weeks off for the holidays and will be back on the ice on Friday night against Freedom at Lehigh Valley Ice Arena.

“We’re only going to have a practice the day before the next game,” said Rieder. “Hockey is a different sport, where you don’t have to get back out there right away and practice. I think we’ll be fine.”