Logan Cunningham was the story Thursday, making a playoff-best 55 saves, including several of the highlight-reel variety, to keep his team in the game throughout the night. (Martin Martinson/battlefordsNOW Staff)

By Martin Martinson

4-3 in Flin Flon

Cunningham stops 55, but North Stars fall in Game 1

Apr 5, 2024 | 1:08 AM

Logan Cunningham made an incredible 55 saves and the Battlefords North Stars netted a pair on the power play, but it wasn’t quite enough, as the team fell 4-3 to the rival Bombers Thursday, to open their semi-finals series in Flin Flon.

Bombers’ defenceman Anthony Bax opened the scoring just 3:15 into the first, to make it 1-0, and get the home crowd at the Whitney Forum into the game early. However, despite a 21-8 Bombers’ shot advantage, the Stars would answer back with one of their own in the period, on Hunter Burgeson’s third of the playoffs to end the first in a 1-1 game.

In the second, after a Matt Egan strike in the opening minutes to make it 2-1 Flin Flon, Ben Portner cashed in for two straight on the power play, to tie the game and then give the Battlefords their first lead of the night, up 3-2 midway through the contest.

Bombers’ captain Justin Lies re-knotted the score, 3-3 on a power play strike of his own with just five minutes to go in the second, followed by another just over five minutes into the third, to serve as the game-winner.

Cunningham’s 55-save performance kept the score tight right to the final horn, while Harmon Laser Hume stopped just 20-of-23 at the other end, with Flin Flon outshooting the Stars 59-23 on the night.

BODY-WORM CAMERAS

RCMP begins nationwide rollout of body cameras for frontline officers

13h ago

Inflation

Rent inflation to slow in the next few years, Desjardins predicts

19h ago

North West U15 AA Sharks

AA Sharks continue success with tournament win in Regina

20h ago

With the win the Bombers take a 1-0 lead in the best-of-seven series, though the North Stars will get a chance to respond quickly, as Game 2 will be played Friday night in Flin Flon. The NAPA Auto Parts North Stars Broadcast will be available Friday on 1050 CJNB, with the Ultra Print Pregame Show at 6 p.m. and puck drop to follow at 6:30 p.m. Sask. time.

In other semi-finals action around the SJHL Thursday, the #2 Melfort Mustangs topped the #3 Humboldt Broncos 4-2 in Melfort to take a 1-0 series lead.

Scoring summary

First period:

3:15 FF Anthony Bax (2) ASST: Carter Anderson, Anthony Piccininno 1-0 FF

12:21 BAT Hunter Burgeson (3) ASST: Alex Izyk 1-1 Tie

Second period:

1:45 FF Matt Egan (2) ASST: Kylynn Olafson, Anthony Bax 2-1 FF

2:52 BAT Ben Portner (3) ASST: Alex Izyk, Kian Bell (PP) 2-2 Tie

7:31 BAT Ben Portner (4) ASST: Brayden Sinclair, Brad Blake (PP) 3-2 BAT

15:10 FF Justin Lies (4) ASST: Jacob Vockler, Noah Houle (PP) 3-3 Tie

Third period:

5:18 FF Justin Lies (5) ASST: Keefe Gruener, Carter Anderson 4-3 FF

4-3 FF, the final

—

Martin.Martinson@pattisonmedia.com

On X: @MartyMartyPxP1