Persistence payed off for the Battlefords North Stars in Game Five. They hit three goal-posts in OT, and had several other chances which Adam Bartko denied - Yet, with 16:19 gone in Overtime, Nathan Tomac extended the North Star's season with the overtime winner.
The Star's won Game Five 3-2, and will now give the Ice Wolves something to think about heading up to La Ronge for Game Six on Sunday night.
The Stars opened the scoring at 7:28 when Brett Miller (6) tipped home a Cody Folstad point-shot on the power-play. Chad Filteau added an assist.
The Wolves responded late in the first when Dustin Stevenson came in on the left-wing, and took a shot which Birch stopped. However, the rebound (fittingly) bounced directly back to Stevenson who roofed it over top of Kyle to tie the score at 1.
Kyle Birch and Adam Bartko both made crucial stops in the first period. Birch faced 17 shots in the first stanza and stopped 16.
Mid-way through the second period, the Stars made it 2-1 off a La Ronge turnover. Jesse Lebreton received a quick pass at center from Brett Miller, and Lebreton did the rest. He skated across the blueline, got the left circle, and blasted his second goal of the playoffs over the glove of Bartko.
Two minutes later, the Stars lost the services of Woody Klassen for the remainder of the game when the refs called him for charging Adam Bartko. They gave Klassen five and a game. Unfortunately for the Wolves, Robert Monfore took a minor penalty, and shortly afterwards Colton MacPherson took a roughing penalty, and the Ice Wolves only received about 45 seconds of Powerplay time.
The Wolves would tie the score early in the third period. Doug Lindensmith lifted a rebound over the left pad of Kyle Birch, and the Ice Wolves tied it on the man-advantage.
For the most part the Wolves carried the play in the third period. The Stars gave up numerous chances, and were largely outhustled for pucks. Kyle Birch held his ground until the late stages of the frame, and then the Stars were handed two late power-play opportunities which they couldn't deliver on.
Overtime was needed for a second straight game, for a third time in the series.
Early in O.T. Ward Szucki DINGED one off the goalpost, and that type of luck continued for the Stars. Chad Filteau, Blake Tatchell, Blake Peake, Troy Watt and Ward Szucki again had chances to end it, but Adam Bartko stood tall and kept the game tied.
At the other end, former North Star Richard Cameron had the best chance to win it for the Wolves, when he out-waited everybody, and nearly snuck one by Kyle Birch.
Late in overtime, the Stars thought they won the game off a Blake Tatchell shot from the slot. The red light went on, but the puck actually went through Bartko's legs and off the goal-post. The nasty puck-luck continues.
The game ended at 16:19, during a mad-scrambled in front of the Wolves net. The puck was sitting loose in the crease, and the four-odd bodies in front of the net couldn't seem to wack at it. Enter Nathan Tomac.
Tomac came off the bench and bee-lined straight towards the Ice Wolves net. He dove at the loose puck, and stuffed it underneath Adam Bartko. Game over!
"These boys know that they still have a job to do, but we'll enjoy this one tonight," said Blair Atcheynum after the game.
The Stars finished 1-8 on the power-play, while the Wolves finished 1-7.
The Wolves saw Aaron DeCorby return to the lineup, but were missing the services of Mike Alexander.
Game Six goes Sunday night at 6:00 pm from the Mel Heglund Arena in La Ronge. You can catch that game on the radio starting at 5:45 with the Sask-Tel Pregame Show.
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The North Stars are sending a fan-bus to La Ronge for tomorrow's game. The cost is 55$ and that includes your ticket to the game. The bus will be leaving the Civic Center at noon, and will get to La Ronge at approxomitely 5:00.
At this time, there are roughly 27 spots remaining on the bus. Call the North Star's office until noon at 445-7827 and then call Kara Rosen at home: 446-4910 to get your seat on the bus.
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1 comment:
I gottat a feeling that they got over that un luck hump last night and our skill which is way more than them will run true again and there hopefully will be a game 7. Peake looked like a man possessed last night skating hitting shooting and to think Filteau has played good but is capable of so much more.
GO STARS GO good luck tomorrow night. Wall, Malek, Brobin, lebreton the 89s that have been through the bad will take this team to the good.
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