AUBURN — In a battle of playoff positioning in the USPHL NCDC North Division, the Junior Bruins earned two important points against the Twin City Thunder on Tuesday at Norway Savings Bank Arena.

The Jr. Bruins answered every time the Thunder scored in the third period to hold on for a 4-3 win.

“That was a microcosm of our season right there,” Jr. Bruins coach Michael Anderson said. “Some good, some bad, all kind of wrapped up in one game. So when we were good, we were really good. Then we stopped competing for a while and gave them some life.”

The Jr. Bruins (15-19-6, 36 points) are one point back of the South Shore Kings (17-15-3, 37 points) for the fourth and final playoff spot. Meanwhile, the Thunder (15-17-3, 33 points) are seventh in the seven-team division and remain four points back of the Kings.

Twin City coach Dan Hodge said if the Thunder want to make the playoffs, they can’t fall behind on the scoreboard like they did Tuesday afternoon.

“You can’t play from behind this time of the year,” Hodge said. “It’s playoff hockey; we are trying to get to the playoffs. So, every game is a playoff hockey game.”

The Jr. Bruins have been battling to get back into the playoff position after an 0-7 start to the season.

“Our start to our season was so bad, every game right now for us is important. It’s going to be like that the rest of the year,” Anderson said.

Aaron Catron and Easton Ryan each tallied a goal and an assist for the Jr. Bruins.

The Jr. Bruins controlled the first period, outshooting the Thunder 15-6. The Thunder’s first shot of the period came nearly nine minutes into the frame. Their second shot came with under three minutes to go in the stanza.

Thunder goalie Christopher Jackson (31 saves) had a good start to the game, according to Hodge.

“Jackson made some nice saves for us and kept us in there,” Hodge said. “He kept us in there. We didn’t play our best — we came out flat. We responded in the second.”

Ryan gave the Jr. Bruins a 1-0 lead with under a minute remaining in the first period by deflecting a Catron shot past Jackson.

“I was just trying to put the puck to the net because good things happen,” Catron said. “Easton just came across with a nice tip.”

Dominic Murphy upped the Jr. Bruins’ lead to 2-0 when he scored a power-play tally nearly six minutes into the second period. Cameron Cooke provided the assist.

The Jr. Bruins were 1 for 3 on the man-advantage and the Thunder were 0 for 2.

The Thunder outshot the Bruins 22-7 in the middle frame and Matthew Cole put the Thunder on the board by beating Jr. Bruins goalie Cameron Carroll (38 saves) with a shot from the slot. Lewiston’s Damon Bossie, as well as Edvin Robertsson, had the helpers.

Trace Norwell evened the game up at 2-2 just 17 seconds into the third period when he slid the puck through Carroll’s five-hole on a shorthanded breakaway. Forward Tommy Gannon and defenseman Blake Tierney notched the assists.

Catron netted a goal, giving the Bruins a 3-2 lead 2:22 into the third period. Jackson tried to glove the puck for a whistle, but it bounced and Catron batted it into the net. Ryan collected the assist.

“Someone made a nice pass to me, I put it on the net and Easton busted his butt to the net to get the rebound,” Catron said. “It just sat there for me to put in the net.”

Norwell created another opportunity on a breakaway and Carroll initially stopped him, but the puck bounced to Richard Davis in the slot and he fired the puck in just past the eight-minute mark.

Hodge said the game plan was to attack below the faceoff circles.

“Good things happen when you go to the net,” Hodge said. “I told the guys before the game our focus would be below the dots and in between the hash marks. …We tried to get to the rebounds today, and we got some opportunities off of it.”

Less than 30 seconds later, the Jr. Bruins took a 4-3 lead when Coleman Jenkins found the back of the net. Jack Meloff set the goal up.

“Jenkins coming out there and putting that one in was huge,” Catron said. “You could feel the bench get up on that one.”

Each team had 13 shots in the third period.

The Thunder return to action Saturday when they host the Boston Advantage (18-15-4, 40 points) at 5 p.m.