Stars teammates swarm goalie, Lowen Kenyon after backstopping the team to a big 4-2 win over the Bombers, Sunday. (Martin Martinson/battlefordsNOW Staff)
Stars avenge Bombers

Last minute heroics lead North Stars to 4-2 victory over Bombers

Feb 20, 2022 | 8:26 PM

Lowen Kenyon stopped 39 of 41 pucks fired his way, and Keiton Klein scored a pair in the final 1:30 of the third, to lead the Battlefords North Stars to a thrilling come-from-behind 4-2 victory over Flin Flon, Sunday.

Forward, Emmett Wurst and defenceman, Tynan Ewart also scored for the Stars in the win, as the team once again showed their resiliency on their return to the win column.

Stars captain, Ryland McNinch battles a puck back to his defenceman off a faceoff win Sunday. (Martin Martinson/battlefordsNOW Staff)

The first period ended a scoreless tie, though the Bombers outshot the Stars 16-6 at the conclusion of the opening frame.

Among Kenyon’s best stops were two breakaway saves; the first on a shorthanded break for Flin Flon’s Gabriel Shipper, and the second on Jaxon Martens, foiling a late chance just prior to the first intermission.

Midway through the second, Jaeden Mercier cashed in on a rebound from a blocked shot in front, to make it 1-0, on a quick release from the left-side for his 16th.

Less than 2:30 later however, Wurst’s 12th answered back for the Stars, knotting the game 1-1 on a laser over the glove, short-side for his 12th.

Cole Duperreault re-established Flin Flon’s lead at 2-1 with his 16th, on a partial breakaway chance on a delayed penalty call, snapping a wrist shot 14-inches stick-side. The Bombers would carry that lead to the final 4:30 of regulation time.

Never a team to say die, the Stars ramped up their push for the tying goal late, with Ewart’s sixth of the year ultimately serving as the 2-2 marker.

Jumping into the attack to cash in on a rebound at the side of the goal, the tally came off a strong play by Stars’ captain Ryland McNinch, to win a board battle against a pair of Bombers’ players, before throwing the puck to the front of the goal.

Looking like a game destined for overtime, Klein had other ideas, cashing in for his first of the night and sixth of the season to give the Stars their first lead of the evening with just over a minute to go in the contest, off a net-mouth scramble started by Sam Witt’s shot from the point.

Stars forward, Keiton Klein on his way to celebrate one of his two goals on the night with teammates. (Martin Martinson/battlefordsNOW Staff)

At 3-2 North Stars late, Flin Flon pulled their goaltender in search of the tying goal. Setting up a one-timer at the top of the point, Klein then blocked the hammer-shot, and fired the carom down the ice, into the empty net. That made it 4-2 Stars, the final.

With the win, the North Stars improve to 28-14-6 on the season, and with 62 points sit just three back of the Bombers for third overall, while holding a pair of games in-hand.

The North Stars will return to action Tuesday, for their first of what will be back-to-back games with the Weyburn Red Wings, Tuesday and Wednesday night in North Battleford.

The NAPA Auto Parts North Stars Hockey Broadcast will be available both nights on 1050 CJNB. The Ultra Print Pregame Show will begin at 7 p.m., with puck drop to follow at 7:30 p.m.

Scoring summary

First period:

No scoring

Second period:

8:11 FF Jaeden Marcier (16) ASST: Drew Kuzma (19), Lucas Fry (3)

10:30 BAT Emmett Wurst (12) ASST: Wilson Steele (7)

13:06 FF Cole Duperreault (16) ASST: Gabriel Shipper (15), Zak Smith (28)

Third period:

15:28 BAT Tynan Ewart (6) ASST: Ryland McNinch (22), Zane Florence (11)

18:39 BAT Keiton Klein (6) ASST: Dylan Esau (27), Sam Witt (16)

19:51 BAT Keiton Klein (7) ASST: None (EN)

4-2 North Stars, the final

Martin.Martinson@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @MartyMartyPxP1

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