Bombers edge Stars in triple OT to send series back to Flin Flon for Game 6

Gryzbowski, who has been the MVP of the series throughout the first five games, had another outstanding showing, stopping 44 of the 48 shots sent his way.

Waked, meanwhile, made 55 saves on 58 North Stars’ shots, as by far the most impressive Bomber on the night.

MacGregor Sinclair opened the scoring in the contest, registering his first of the postseason just 3:13 into the first period. Coming on the power play, Sinclair’s rocket marked just the Stars’ second man-advantage tally of the series so far, giving his team a 1-0 lead.

In the second, Quintin Loon-Stewardson made it 2-0 Stars, scoring the team’s second power play goal of the night, and his first of the playoffs just under 12 minutes into the period.

Then, just when it looked like the Battlefords might just take a two-goal lead to the second intermission, Brandson Hein hammered home his second of the series, and fourth of the playoffs, on the Bombers’ first power play goal of the series. Just like that, the Bombers’ deficit was cut in half at 2-1, with just two-and-a-half minutes to go in the second.

Flin Flon outshot the North Stars, 13-6 in the middle frame, but nonetheless headed into the final period trailing by a goal with their season on the line.

Not quite four-and-a-half minutes into the third, the Bombers pulled even, thanks to a quick shot from the point by blue liner Isaac Jackson off a clean faceoff win by centerman Nate Hooper.

The Stars reestablished their one-goal advantage though, with just under half-a-period to go in regulation time.

Teeing up a slapper from the top of the zone, Sinclair fired home his second of the game, and series alike, beating Waked clean in the Bombers’ crease.

The Stars would nurse their lead too, right down to the final half-minute. That final half-minute though, is when horror would strike.

With the goalie pulled, and the Bombers on an all-out attack to prolong their season, Flin Flon managed to tie things up with just 28.8 seconds to go in the third.

Coming through in the clutch, the Bombers’ captain scored in the proverbial eleventh hour to push the game to OT.

At the end of regulation, the shots sat 35-29 for the Bombers, while the score read an even 3-3. The two sides were headed for overtime for the fourth-straight game of the series.

In overtime, the goalies at either end were up to their old tricks. Waked made 13 saves on the 13 North Stars’ shots he faced in the initial overtime period, while Grzybowski stopped 7/7.

With 20 minutes of OT still unable to determine an outcome, the teams were headed for double OT.

In double overtime, as fatigue began to really set in, the netminders stood strong, each refusing to give an inch, and remaining perfect still, shutting down any offensive surge either team could muster.

After 40 minutes of overtime, with the decision still up for grabs, the teams headed into a third overtime period, essentially entering back-to-back game territory, and turning the game from your everyday Friday night of stick and puck, to a battle of stamina.

Finally, with 8:37 gone in the third overtime period, the game was decided thanks to Hooper’s second goal of the evening. The captain, who had tied the contest with under 30 seconds to go, struck once again to give his team the win on a jam play at the side of the Battlefords’ goal.

All total on the night, the Stars ended up outshooting Flin Flon by a 29-15 margin through the three overtime periods, and 58-48 overall.

With the best-of-seven series now a 3-2 Stars’ advantage, the teams will travel to Flin Flon for Game 6 Sunday night.

The Ultra Print Pregame Show will begin at 6 p.m. Sunday, with puck drop at 6:30 p.m. on NAPA North Stars Hockey on 1050 CJNB.

In other league action around the SJHL:

The Melfort Mustangs defeated the Kindersley Klippers 3-2 to book their ticket to Round 2, taking the teams’ first round playoff series 4-2.

Estevan beat Humboldt 3-2 in overtime to stave off elimination in Estevan, in a series that now sits as a 3-2 Broncos’ advantage.

Top-seeded Nipawin also held off elimination, beating Yorkton 4-1 at Centennial Arena in Nipawin to send the series back to Yorkton for Game 6.

Scoring summary

First period:

3:!3 BAT MacGregor Sinclair (1) ASST: Owen Lamb (1), Brett Gammer (1) (PP)

Second period:

1:57 BAT Quintin Loon-Stewardson (2) ASST: MacGregor Sinclair (2), Matthew Fletcher (2) (PP)

7:27 FF Brandson Hein (4) ASST: Daylan Marchi (3), Cade Kowalski (7) (PP)

Third period:

4:21 FF Isaac Jackson (1) ASST: Nate Hooper (6)

11:16 BAT MacGregor Sinclair (2) ASST: Braydon Buziak (1), Owen Lamb (2)

9:32 FF Nate Hooper (3) ASST: Daylan Marchi (4), Cade Kowalski (8)

First overtime:

No scoring

Second overtime:

No scoring

Third overtime:

8:37 FF Nate Hooper (4) ASST: Vincent Nardone (2), Daylan Marchi (5)

4-3 Flin Flon (in triple OT), the Final.

–

Martin.Martinson@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: MartyMartyPxP1

by Martin Martinson

Bombers edge Stars in triple OT to send series back to Flin Flon for Game 6

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