On their second chance to do so, the North Stars couldn't move into the next round of playoffs Friday night.
Forward Macgregor Sinclair opened the game's scoring for the North Stars on the power play, as Flin Flon's Chrystopher Collin got a game misconduct for a hit to the head. The North Stars were dominant in the first as they outshot their opponents 14-7.
Momentum swung back and forth in the second, and no one scored until Quintin Loon-Stewardson notched a power play goal, with assists from Sinclair and Matthew Fletcher.
What looked liked a North Stars lead heading into the break was foiled by Bomber Brandson Hein on a power play goal.
The penalty-free third period had the 1,400 fans on the edge of their seats. Flin Flon tied the game less than five minutes into the third as Issac Jackson scored and captain Nate Hooper assisted. Sinclair scored his second of the game about halfway through the period to an enormous cheer from fans on the south end of the Civic Centre.
It looked as if the North Stars had the game in the bag until Hooper scored, to fans' dismay, with about third seconds left in the game.
Players didn't have much energy left in the nearly non-stop first overtime period, although fans did. The two teams couldn't get much for good scoring chances together, although the North Stars outshot Flin Flon 13-7. The North Stars scraped together some scoring chances in the second overtime period, outshooting Flin Flon 10-2, but Bomber goalie Gabriel Waked stopped everything that came his way.
Nearly halfway through the third overtime period, Hooper ruined the hometown crowd's night. A section of Bombers fans went home happy.
The whole game lasted about four and a half hours.
The two teams will have Saturday to travel and rest, and game 6 takes place Sunday in Flin Flon.
