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Bombers force Game 7 after comeback home win

Go from 3-0 down to tying series at three wins each
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It's official: the Flin Flon Bombers are going to Game 7.

After going down 3-0 in their quarterfinal series, Flin Flon took down Battlefords 6-4 at home to lead to a decisive seventh game.

The Stars kicked off the scoring minutes after the opening whistle, with Austin Becker sneaking one past Bomber goalie Gabriel Waked's glove. Later in the period, the Bombers' fourth line struck, scoring two goals minutes apart. Alec Cokley scored after an opportunistic bounce, flipping the puck over Joel Grzybowski, then Caleb Franklin followed suit after a brutal turnover at the Stars' net. After 20 minutes, the Bombers led 2-1.

That lead would be short-lived. Stars captain Cody Spagrud snuck a weak shot through traffic and past Waked to tie it up, then Seth Summers scored another blooper from the point less than two minutes later.

However, Battlefords' new lead wouldn't last long, either - a total of 25 seconds. Jack Michell scored his first-ever junior playoff goal on a long point shot of his own to tie the match at 3.

The Stars didn't rest. Moments later, the Stars caught the Bomber D napping, feeding a stretch pass to Brett Gammer who buried it past Waked. The Stars' three second period goals meant Flin Flon was down 4-3 after 40, putting their season on the line once again.

After an acrobatic individual effort by Donavan Houle-Villeneuve, Caleb Moretz scored on a breakaway to tie the game once more early in the third. Minutes later, the Stars got caught with too many men on the ice, giving the Bombers a third period powerplay with the game tied.

It didn't take long for Cade Kowalski to beat Grzybowski, sending the Whitney Forum and all 1,201 fans in attendance into a frenzy. The Bombers led 5-4.

A pair of late Stars penalties put the visitors on their heels. Finally, with seconds left on the clock, Daylan Marchi banked a shot into the empty net to seal the win.

Waked earned his third straight win with 28 saves. Grzybowski made 29 stops.

The Bombers and Stars will suit up one more time in North Battlefords in a decisive Game 7 Tuesday night.

Elsewhere in the SJHL, Nipawin may soon force their own Game 7 against Yorkton, leading 3-1 late in Game 6. The Hawks were down 3-1 in the series. The Estevan Bruins, much like the Bombers, have forced their own Game 7 by topping Humboldt 4-1. The Broncos also led that series 3-1 after four games. Melfort is the only SJHL team to clinch their spot in the league semifinals and avoid a Game 7.

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