INDEPENDENCE, MO --- Toby LaFrance scored two goals, including the deciding goal in a shootout, as Missouri prevailed over the Mississippi RiverKings, 4-3, on Tuesday, Feb. 23, in Missouri.

Mississippi takes a record of 25-21-7 into this weekend's play at home for 57 points, remaining in fourth place in the Central Hockey League Northern Conference. Missouri moves into fifth place and into playoff contention in the conference standings with a 25-23-4 mark for 54 points.

In Tuesday's contest, there was no scoring in the first period, despite the RiverKings outshooting the Mavericks by a 7-3 margin. Mississippi took a 2-0 lead in the second period, scoring goals from Elias Godoy and Glenn Detulleo.

Godoy filled the net for his eighth goal of the season on a blast from the left side at 4:46, assisted by Bobby Chaumont. Detulleo gave Mississippi the two-goal lead on his eighth of the year, assisted by Ken Davis and Tyler Doherty at 15:51.

Missouri was able to score late in the period on a power play goal from LaFrance with 37 seconds left in the session for the RiverKings’ 2-1 advantage after forty minutes.

In the third period, Missouri opened the scoring on Jeff Christian's 27^th goal of the season at eight minutes into the frame. But Ryan Held quickly answered for Mississippi with his 25th goal of the year at 9:16, assisted by Kevin Truelson and Louis Dumont for a 3-2 lead.

The Mavericks then took advantage of two late penalties called against the RiverKings and Karl Sellan tied the game with less than two minutes left in regulation for a 3-3 tie, sending the game into overtime.

Missouri won the game with three goals in the shootout, including LaFrance's game-winner in the fourth round. Matt Summers and Dumont scored shootout goals for Mississippi.

The RiverKings scored once on the power play in seven chances, while two of Missouri's goals came on the power play in nine chances on the night. Mississippi outshot Missouri for the game, 32-30, but had a 25-10 shot advantage after two periods of play.

RiverKings goaltender Mark Sibbald saw his record drop to 5-4-1 with 26 saves. Charlie Effinger raised his record to 12-4-1 with a 29-save effort for the Mavericks.

Mississippi returns home for a game on Friday, Feb. 26, against the Wichita Thunder in the DeSoto Civic Center in Southaven, starting at 7:05 p.m.

Pink in the Rink Night jerseys will be auctioned off and there will be a post-game skate on the ice for fans after the game.