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.

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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

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Martin.Martinson@pattisonmedia.com

On X: @MartyMartyPxP1