The Flin Flon Bombers took one of Canada's best teams to overtime Friday night, but ultimately lost 4-3 to the Battlefords North Stars.
The Stars got out to an early 2-0 lead, with trade deadline acquisition Garan Magnes scoring both goals. Ethan Daniels got Flin Flon on the board halfway through the second period, followed by a tying goal late in the period by Bomber rookie Donavan Houle-Villeneuve.
The third period was a roller-coaster ride, full of bad bounces and wild momentum swings. SJHL leading scorer Layne Young took advantage when Bomber goalie Brenden Newton made a miscue playing the puck near the blue line, pulling the puck around Newton and firing it into the empty net for a 3-2 Stars lead.
However, Battlefords' lead wouldn't last. After two Stars penalties, Chrystopher Collin fired a power-play goal past Stars netminder Joel Gryzbowski to tie the game. The Bombers would survive a late 5-on-3 penalty kill and take the game to overtime.
One minute after the puck dropped for 3-on-3, Cole Johnson finished the game for Battlefords with one final shot past Newton. Newton made 38 saves, pulling his team to a hard-earned point against the fifth-ranked team in the country. Gryzbowski got the win after a 31-save performance.
The two teams will square off again Saturday night at the Whitney Forum.
