By Nathan Kanter

North Stars drop first game of Western Canada Cup in OT

Apr 30, 2017 | 12:07 AM

The Battlefords North Stars fell in overtime to the host Penticton Vees in their first game at the Western Canada Cup on Saturday night by a 2-1 score.

Vees forward Chris Klack scored the overtime winner after linemate Nic Jones skated the length of the ice and cut to the net during the 4-on-4 in extra time, allowing Klack to clean up the garbage.

Despite the close score, North Stars head coach Nate Bedford was not close to satisified with his team’s effort.

“I didn’t think we played our game today whatsoever,” Bedford said. “We were kind of trying to adapt to their speed and we just didn’t do it quick enough. They’re a quick team and we gave them way too much respect and way too much room out there. I didn’t think we spent near enough time in their zone where we were making it hard on their ‘D’. I think we let them off easy. Don’t get me wrong, I think they played fantastic after the first 10 minutes.”

The Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League champs came out of the gate flying, out-shooting Penticton 8-4 in the first ten minutes but couldn’t find the back of the net. They also were unsuccessful on two first period power plays, and the game was scoreless after twenty minutes.

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“I thought our first 10 [minutes] were good and then after that point, at the TV timeout there, it felt like whatever they said on their side really got their team going,” Bedford said.

After their slow start, the Vees began to pick up their game and outshot the North Stars 23-14 in the final 40 minutes of regulation.

On the scoreboard, the North Stars struck first with just 1:03 to go in the second after Connor Logan finished perfectly on a 2-on-1 rush with Reed Delainey, who fed him a pass right in his wheelhouse. But the British Columbia Hockey League champs would tie the game on an abbreviated power play just 29 seconds into the third. Jones’ overtime winner was scored 5:32 into the fourth period.

In the end, the shots on goal favoured Penticton 38-25.

“I think they probably had more scoring chances than we did and I think that’s not something that usually happens against us,” Bedford said. “Obviously it could have gone either way… but we’ve got to make sure we do a better job once we gain momentum and start going – we’ve got to finish teams off.”

Other than giving up too many scoring opportunities, Bedford felt his team not playing the body enough was another area that lacked execution.

“In our zone, everything was with sticks. We were stick checking a lot and then in their zone, we didn’t spend enough time their to be physical,” he said. “I think we went through ltitle spurts where we were and then long stretches where we weren’t.”

The power play also finished the night 0-for-6.

Battlefords did have extended pressure during a third period power play with the game deadlocked, where they did just about everything but score. But close isn’t good enough.

“Probably the first four, I didn’t think were very good,” Bedford said of his team’s play on the man advantage. “I just thought we didn’t do a good enough job of winning draws and then we didn’t get good entries and then we didn’t support the puck and then the last two I thought we had real good puck movement – I thought we did everything well – but it’s too late at that point. You’ve got to put some pressure on other teams right away so that they’re on their heels and I dont think they’re penalty killers were on their heels until probably the fifth or sixth one.”

The well-rested Portage Terriers are next for the North Stars and there isn’t much time to rest.

The two teams square off at 3 p.m. Saskatchewan time on Sunday afternoon.

The good news is the North Stars do at least pick up a point for getting to overtime.

That means they’re not in last right now, as Chilliwack lost in regulation to Brooks on Saturday afternoon.

But they certainly need a win against Portage, especially considering the top-ranked Brooks Bandits are next on Tuesday.

“Get a good start tomorrow and refocus on a new team that certainly has a different style of play,” Bedford said of how to bounce back. “So we’ll let this one go once we hit the sheets and focus on Portage tomorrow.”

nathan.kanter@jpbg.ca

@NathanKanter11