Kevin McBain
of The Clarion
The Klippers picked up three of four Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League points from the visiting Battlefords North Stars this week, winning 4-1 last Tuesday before losing in a shootout 4-3 on Saturday.
“It think it was a positive week,” said assistant coach Larry Wintoneak. “Any time you can take three of four points from the North Stars it is a good thing. We are taking steps forward.”
Josh Fletcher was back in the lineup for the second game and his enthusiasm seemed to spark the Klippers.
The Stars got on board first when Tre Doyon scored just 2:42 in the game. Tanner Thompson would respond quickly, scoring just over two minutes later.
The North Stars would add another, when Layne Young found the back of the net at the 10:24 mark of the period to make it 2-1 going into the second.
The Klippers owned the second, with Fletcher scoring early, just 39 seconds in to tie the score and Curtis Peck would add another late in the period to make it 3-2.
The North Stars’ Chaseton Braid would score the lone goal of the third, on the power play to send the game into overtime, which solved nothing.
The shootout would see the North Stars best the Klippers.
Kolby Matthew faced 32 shots, while Justen Close saw 31 shots come at him.
In Tuesday’s game, the North Stars got on the board first with Dakota Huebner scoring early in the second. But the Klippers bounced back with Eddie May scoring on the power play at the 6:53 mark of the middle frame.
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This game, however ended ugly with a huge brawl at the end of the game when Troy Gerein cross-checked Brody Ryberg in the face. Gerein and Connor Manegre were given five games for being instigators; Connor McIntosh and Keith Anderson were both given two games for being instigators and Battlefords coach Brandon Heck was suspended three games and the team was fined $1,500.
For the Klippers, Taylor Derynck was suspended for one game for being the third man into a fight.
It was all Klippers in the third. Austin Nault, Cameron Shorrock would score and Nikolas Malencia would add an empty-netter to cap off the scoring.
Close faced 31 shots in this one, while Matthews saw just 23 shots in goal for the Battlefords.
The Klippers were scheduled to be in Humboldt this past Tuesday before hosting the Weyburn Red Wings this Thursday and Friday beginning at 7:30 p.m. each night.
“All of these games within the division are like four point games. It’s a tough division, probably the toughest in the league,” said Wintoneak.
“We are all so close. But as for us, we are getting better. It is a process and we will just take it one day at a time.”