By Craig Stein
HUGE COME FROM BEHIND WIN PROTECTS DIVISION LEAD FOR KLIPPERS
The Battlefords North Stars let a lead slip away but came through in the end with a 6-5 shootout victory in Notre Dame on Sunday night. That gives the Stars a perfect three game road trip, with wins in Weyburn, Estevan and Notre Dame, the last two both via the shootout.
The two points lifts the North Stars (32-13-5-5) into a fourth place overall tie with Melfort, two points up on now sixth place Humboldt. The Stars are also just one point behind Kindersley for the Global Ag Risk Solutions Division lead, and two behind Nipawin for the league lead.
Braydon Buziak, MacGregor Sinclair and Matthew Fletcher all had a goal and an assist for Battlefords while Brett Gammer and Quinton Loon-Stewardson had the others. Joel Gryzbowski made 31/36 saves and was perfect on three shootout attempts.
The Stars finish February with a record of 7-1-0-1 in the month. They’re home to Notre Dame Friday, at Humboldt Saturday, and home to Kindersley next Tuesday to finish up.
The Hounds’ top line had a big night as Jarrett Penner had a goal and four assists, Marshall Wilton had two goals and two helpers, and Jakob Breault had three assists. Defenseman Joseph Santalucia had two goals on the season coming in, and added two more on Sunday.
The single point leaves the Hounds (25-20-5-5) one point up on Yorkton for 8th place overall. Both teams have three games left. Notre Dame’s schedule is a tough one as they welcome Melfort on Tuesday, before a Battlefords/Kindersley road trip on Friday and Saturday. Yorkton’s schedule is all against sub-.500 opponents as they have a home and home against Melville on the weekend and finish in Weyburn the following Tuesday.
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The Humboldt Broncos scored three first period goals just over five minutes apart, the last two coming on a 5-on-3 powerplay and the ensuing 5-on-4. Kindersley Coach Clayton Jardine kept his number one goalie Justin Close in their, and it paid off huge as Close shut the door the rest of the way, allowing the Klippers to come back and win it 4-3 in regulation on Sunday.
The two points lift Kindersley three points up on Humboldt for the Global Ag Risk Solutions Division lead. Humboldt has just two games left including Friday in Kindersley. They’ll finish their regular season schedule Saturday at home against Battlefords. The Klippers are also back to within one point of Nipawin for the league lead. The Hawks still have four games left, one in hand on Kindersley.
Kyle Bosch started the comeback on Sunday afternoon, getting the Klippers (35-15-3-2) on the board with 37 seconds left in the first period. After a scoreless second period, Tyler Traptow scored two third period goals, including the winner with 3:23 remaining. Devon Cyr scored between the Traptow markers to tie things up.
Close finished the night with 34 saves on 37 shots, including all 13 he saw in the third period.
Kindersley’s home to Humboldt Friday, home to Notre Dame Saturday, and in Battlefords next Tuesday to finish their regular season.
Michael Clarke, Drew Warkentine and Zach McIntyre gave the Broncos (34-18-3-1) that 3-0 first period lead.
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