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Kindersley “Klips” Stars in OT

Dec 29, 2018 | 10:35 PM

The Battlefords North Stars fell 3-2 to the Kindersley Klippers Saturday night at the NB Civic Centre.

Despite the loss, the North Stars still managed to earn three of a possible four points this weekend in their home-and-home showdown with their foe from two hours down the road, putting the Stars in second place of the Global Ag. Risk Solutions Division, just three points back of Kindersley for top spot.

One of the main reasons the Stars were able to lock up three points in their two-game return from Christmas break, has been the outstanding play of Stars’ netminder Joel Grzybowski.

The 19-year-old veteran has picked up right where he left off prior to the holiday layoff, amongst the elite goaltenders in the Saskatchewan Junior League. Grzybowski followed up a stellar outing Friday that saw the Hafford, Sask., product stop 31 of 33 Klipper shots, with an encore performance that saw the goalie turn aside 38 of the 40 shot his way Saturday.

Since mid-November, over his last eight starts, Grzybowski has now denied 246 of the 259 total shots he’s faced, good for a .950sv% over the span.

In addition to the goaltending, another key for the Stars has been their man-advantage showing no signs of rust coming off the break, with the team opening the scoring Saturday the same way they had Friday, with a power play goal coming on their first opportunity.

Regan Doig opened the scoring with the extra man just over six-and-a-half minutes into the first, depositing the puck from the middle of a mad scramble in front that would make an egg plater at Humpty’s Family Restaurant blush.

Doig’s goal marked the forward’s sixth of the year, with Owen Lamb picking up the lone assist.

About six minutes later, Kindersley would respond, courtesy of defenseman Clay Keeley, who sneaking down from his point position on the blue line to the high slot, fired a quick snapshot on goal for his fifth of the season, and second in two nights.

The first period would come to a close with a 12-11 shot advantage North Stars, 1-1 the score.

Despite some good looks from either side, the second period, would remain scoreless until just before the midway mark when “The B.C. Boy,” Matthias Urbanski would reestablish his team’s one-goal advantage.

Upon receiving a crisp stretch feed right on the tape in transition from Noah Form, Urbanski turned on the jets and burned a hopeless Klippers’ defender wide. Showing sublime control at mach speed, the forward then let his equally fast hands finish the job, faking the goaltender on the forehand, before then pulling it back to his backhand to tuck the puck between the goaltender’s legs.

Just like that, in the blink of an eye it was 2-1 Stars, and that is how the second period would end.

Although the North Stars would prove to be the only team to score in the middle period, the shot count swayed heavily the way of the visitors, with Kindersley outshooting the homeside 13-5 in the frame.

The Klippers would ultimately break through again to knot the game at two’s in the third, with the tying strike coming off a quick faceoff win deep in the Stars’ zone resulting in a Josh Fletcher wrister for his 12th of the season; 2-2 was the score and it would remain that way to the end of regulation.

With fans barely warm back in their seats and only 46 seconds gone in the extra frame, the Klippers would be the ones to end it, with Kyle Bosch, the team’s leading scorer notching his ninth of the year, and 27th point of the season to secure the victory for his team, with the game winner marking Kindersley’s 41st shot on the night.

The North Stars will return to action after the New Year, with a game Jan. 5 at Battleford Arena against another division-rival in the hunt for tops in the group, the Humboldt Broncos.

 

Scoring summary

First period:

6:37 BAT Regan Doig (6) ASST: Owen Lamb (11) (PP)

12:15 KIN Clay Keeley (5) ASST: Noah Bankowski (13), Caden Benson (13)

Second period:

8:09 BAT Matthias Urbanski (15) ASST: Noah Form (1)

Third period:

Josh Fletcher (12) ASST: Tyler Traptow (7)

Overtime:

0:46 Kyle Bosch (9) ASST: Clay Keeley (10), Josh Fletcher (10)

3-2 Klippers, Final

 

Martin.Martinson@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: MartyMartyPxP1