Marshall Light scored his first of the pre-season with the Stars Wednesday night in Kindersley. (Martin Martinson/battlefordsNOW Staff)
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Stars’ streak ends, as Klippers flip script in OT

Sep 7, 2022 | 11:57 PM

For the second time in as many nights, overtime was needed to determine a winner between the Battlefords North Stars and Kindersley Klippers, Wednesday.

However, this time with the scene set in Kindersley, it was the Klippers who got the winning touch just over a half-minute into the extra frame, courtesy of veteran defenceman, Liam Bell.

Bell rang in his first of the pre-season on the rebound of a shot-pass on a 2-on-1 with forward Brock Evans, to deliver a 3-2 Klippers win.

The game opened with a ‘renewing of acquaintances’ early, with three players – North Stars’ Jordan Grill and Klippers’ Carson Baylis and Noah Edstrom – hauled off to the box on Roughing minors to set the physical tone early.

Following a scoreless first half of the first period, Edstrom then scored a pair of goals just under a minute apart, to put the Klippers ahead 2-0 at the end of 20 minutes.

Though much like last night, the North Stars were able to come alive as the game went on. The Battlefords scored a pair of their own to answer in the middle frame, from defenceman, Tynan Ewart and forward, Marshall Light.

Ewart’s tally at the 9:11 mark of the second, served as the blue liner’s third in the last two nights against the Klippers, and fourth total of the pre-season (having also tallied against Bonnyville in the team’s pre-season opener).

Light’s goal, which knotted the game 2-2 was his first of the exhibition schedule, coming with just under three minutes to go in the middle period.

The third period remained scoreless throughout, despite a dominant push by the Battlefords in stretches, as the team outshot their rivals by a 16-5 margin in the final frame.

Bell’s winner at the :35 second mark of OT delivered Kindersley the win, along with a 32-save performance by Klippers’ goalie, Cody Jaman.

At the other end, Stars’ netminder Lowen Kenyon was solid throughout, stopping 21 of 24 shots against on the night.

Altogether, the teams combined for 26 minutes in penalties, 16 of which were Roughing minors, showing first-hand it doesn’t take long to renew rivalries when the two teams meet.

With the loss, the Stars are now 3-1 through their first four games of the pre-season, with just two more games to go in exhibition play.

The Battlefords will close their pre-season with a home-and-home against the Lloyd Bobcats of the Alberta Junior Hockey League this weekend. The Stars and Bobcats will play Friday, Sept. 9 at 7 p.m. in Lloydminster, before wrapping their pre-season Sunday, Sept. 11 at home at 6 p.m.

The games highlight a busy weekend for the North Stars, who will also be on the golf course this Saturday, Sept. 10 for their annual North Stars Classic golf tournament at Jackfish Lodge and Conference Centre.

Scoring summary

First period:

12:58 KIN Noah Edstrom (1) ASST: Liam Bell (1), Adam Paplawski (1) (PP)

13:45 KIN Noah Edstrom (2) ASST: Brock Evans (1), Josh Morton (2)

Second period:

9:11 BAT Tynan Ewart (3) ASST: Jordan Gibbs (1)

17:01 BAT Marshall Light (1) ASST: Keiton Klein (1)

Third period:

No scoring

Overtime:

0:35 KIN Liam Bell (1) ASST: Brock Evans (2)

3-2 OT Klippers, the final.

Martin.Martinson@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @MartyMartyPxP1

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