The Battlefords North Stars (28-20-6-2) travelled to Kindersley for their final regular season game of the year Tuesday and beat the Klippers (37-12-2-4) 6-5 in a shootout.
It was anything but an easy win, however.
After Jake McMillen and Igor Leonenko gave the North Stars a 2-0 lead after the first period, Connor Sych scored his fourth of the year just 16 seconds into the second.
Despite being outshot 7-17, the North Stars had a 3-0 lead over the second place team in the SJHL.
Exactly one minute later the Klippers got on the board as Marc Dubeau scored his 18th of the year to cut the lead to 3-1.
2:13 later Connor Garden scored on the power play to make it 3-2, then just 1:04 after his goal Cody Young tied the game.
The North Stars had seen their 3-0 lead evaporate in just 3:17.
Leonenko restored his team’s lead on the power play shortly after the Klippers tied the game and the North Stars led 4-3 after two periods.
The game got physical in the latter stages of the second, as a pair of fights occurred.
First it was Brock Weston dropping the gloves with Landon Gross at the 14:26 mark, before Brendan Heinrich danced with Tyler Anderson four minutes later.
All four players were ejected from the game following their fights.
The Klippers had an astounding shot advantage, 36-16, but found themselves trailing heading into the final frame.
Early in third Nick Fountain scored his 13th of the year to give the North Stars a 5-3 lead.
Getting an assist on the goal was 16-year-old Levi Kleiboer, his first career SJHL point in his third career game.
Once again, the Klippers refused to roll over and accept defeat as Darcy DeRoose scored his 22nd of the year at the 6:01 mark to cut the lead to just one.
Late in the game, Devin Case tied the game at five and sent the two teams to overtime.
The North Stars were perhaps lucky to be tied, as they were being outshot 54-21 after 60 minutes.
Neither team was able to score in overtime, sending the regular season finale to a shootout.
After McMillen and Matthew Havens scored, Case answered for the Klippers after Garden was denied.
The North Stars decided to send out an unlikely player, Jake Calverley, as their third shooter.
The native of Nanaimo, B.C. hasn’t scored a goal all season for the North Stars, and is more known for his physical play and solid defence.
Unfortunately, Calverley was unable to find the back of the net, setting up a chance for the Klippers to tie the shootout.
Ryan Rewerts stood tall in net, as he did all game, and denied Dubeau giving the North Stars the 6-5 win.
McMillen has upped his play at the right time of the season.
In his last six games McMillen has recorded four goals to go along with three assists.
The Carievale native scored 30 points in each of the past two seasons for the North Stars, and with his hot play down the stretch finished this season with 13 goals and 11 assists.
During the regular season the North Stars outscored the Bruins by a 20-10 margin with a 3-0-1 record.
Battlefords will now rest up and prepare for their survivor series playoff round against the Estevan Bruins.
The North Stars are hoping for some injuries to heal as Michael Statchuk, Reed Delainey and Matthew Saharchuk didn’t play in Tuesday’s game.
Saharchuk and Delainey haven’t played since the end of January while Statchuk left last Friday’s game in the first period.
Games one and two are at the Civic Centre tomorrow and Saturday, before the North Stars head to Estevan for games three and four (if necessary) Monday and Tuesday at Affinity Place.
If a game five is necesasary to decide a winner, it would be next Thursday at the Civic Centre.
Should the North Stars advance past Estevan, they would face the Klippers in the opening round.
Puck drop for each game of the series is at 7:30 p.m.
