FRIDAY RECAPS

The Kindersley Klippers continue to help their cause to have at least home ice in a Wild Card series, as they scored three third period goals to come from behind and beat the Notre Dame Hounds 4-3 on Friday night.

The Klippers’ (21-18-3-3) comeback was a huge one, as Flin Flon picked up a road with over a tough Melfort teams Friday as well.  Kindersley remains three points up on Flin Flon for 8th place, with two games in hand, and sit six back of Weyburn for 6th and have three in hand on the Wings, who lost in Humboldt Friday.

Kindersley’s third period comeback was thanks to unanswered goals from Tanner Thompson, Blake Kleiner and Keillan Olson (1g-1a).  Josh Fletcher opened the scoring in the first period with a short-handed marker.

The Hounds (26-18-13) scored three straight to take a 3-1 lead, thanks to Marshall Wilton, Tim Gould (1g-1a) and Jack Flaman.  Chance Longjohn assisted on all three and now has 42 assists as part of his 62-points in 47-games.

Justen Close stopped 37/40 shots for Kindersley while Jack Ryan turned away 35/39 for Notre Dame.

The Hounds still hold a two point lead over Weyburn for the sixth overall spot.

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As mentioned above, the late Klippers’ comeback was a tough one to watch on the out-of-town scoreboard for the Flin Flon Bombers, who picked up a valiant 6-4 win on the road in Melfort.

Flin Flon would have been within a point of a home ice Wild Card position, but that gap remains at three.

Chrystopher Collin (2g-2a), Nate Hooper (2g-1a) and Brandson Hein (1g-1a) combined for five goals and nine points, while Ethan Daniels also scored and Brenden Newton stopped 34/38 shots for the Bombers (19-21-3-4).

Colin Schmidt scored a pair for the Mustangs (32-11-4-1), with Kalem Zary and Beau Stevenson adding singles.

The two clubs meet again Saturday night in Flin Flon.

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Logan Schatz scored twice and added one assist to lead the Humboldt Broncos to a 4-1 win over the visiting Weyburn Red Wings.

Schatz’s pair of goals sees him hit the 20-goal plateau for the first time, and surpass the 70-point mark.  He now has 20g-52a-72p to sit second in the league in scoring.  Nick Shumlanski and Jaxon Joseph each had a goal and an assist to round out the scoring, and Parker Tobin picked up the win for the Broncos (28-16-3-2).

Jordan Kazymyra replied for the Red Wings (25-19-4-0), who look to salvage a three game road trip with a rematch in Humboldt on Saturday.  The 7th place Wings remain two points back of Notre Dame for 6th, and five behind Estevan for the Viterra Division lead.

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Layne Young racked up his seventh straight multi-point game and the Battlefords North Stars blanked the La Ronge Ice Wolves 7-0.

Young has 18-points (7g-11a) during that seven game stretch, and now a league-best 32-goals and 94-points on the year.

Taryn Kotchorek made 33 saves for his fourth shutout this season, and his record-setting 13th of his SJHL career.  Kotchorek’s 12th came on January 30th and broke the mark of 11 set by Weyburn’s A.J. Whiffen in 2010.

In Friday’s win, Young was one of five North Stars to have three-point nights, as Chaseton Braid (2g-1a) had his second two goal game in as many nights.  Defenseman Connor Manegre had a goal and two helpers, while both Cole Johnson and Connor McIntosh had three assists.  Troy Gerein and Levi Kleiboer each added goals, and the Stars (37-9-2-0) are now just four points out of top spot overall and are back on home ice again on Saturday against Notre Dame with a chance to make that two, with Nipawin having the weekend off.

The Ice Wolves drop to 8-37-0-3 on the year, and are two losses or Melville wins away from being mathematically out of playoff contention.

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The Melville Millionaires got another step closer to securing the 10th and final playoff spot Friday, going into Yorkton and shuting out the 11th place Terriers 4-0.

Colby Entz made 26 saves for his first shutout this season but fifth of his career, after posting four as a rookie a year ago.

Logan Foster and Isaac Embree each had a goal and an assist while Cory Schillo and Damian Bentz both added goals, and Clayton Eisler notched a pair of assists.

The Millionaires (17-28-0-2) are now 14 points clear of the Terriers with 11 games remaining for both clubs.  The return match goes Saturday in Melville, and another Millionaire win would have them on the verge of officially clinching a post-season berth after missing a year ago.

Joe Marcouiller stopped 31/32 shots for the Terriers (9-34-2-2) coming on in relief after the Mils struck three times in a 2:47 span before the game was 11 minutes old.