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North Stars eliminated from playoffs after loss to Bruins in game 5

Apr 5, 2018 | 11:53 PM

It all seemed to end in an instant for the defending Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League champions.

Not literally, but still, with the North Stars entering the third period of Thursday’s elimination game tied 2-2 with the Estevan Bruins, everything seemed within reach. This team had gutted out one-goal victories before, and there was no better place to do it than in front of their home fans when it mattered most: the SJHL playoffs.

But when Bruins captain Jake Fletcher whistled a wrist shot short side past Taryn Kotchorek after a rebound came to him with under nine minutes left in regulation, the life seemed to be sucked out of the Civic Centre.

An all-too quiet “Go Stars Go” chant following that goal didn’t last very long, and soon after, Bruins sniper Kaelan Holt increased the visitors lead to 4-2. Holt’s empty-netter with 2:08 to go in the third period to make it 5-2 made Estevan’s victory all but a certainty, and Zach Goberis made sure with a second empty-netter in the final minute.

Just like that, Estevan had scored four goals in under nine minutes to end the Battlefords North Stars season with a 6-2 win in game 5 to win the series 4-1.

“They’re oportunistic and they’ve got a ton of skill,” North Stars head coach Brandon Heck said of the Bruins, who advanced to the league finals for the first time since 1999. “We lost the series in games one and two when we weren’t ourselves. The big moment got us. Definitely credit to them. They amazed me with how much they got in shooting lanes and were willing to pay the price. A lesson to our younger guys, how much you’ve got to pay the price to win.”

With the North Stars deadlocked entering the final frame, Heck said the team was not trying to approach it like it could be their last period.

“We were thinking, ‘Let’s get one and play with the lead’,” he said. “We were preaching everything to the net and tons of traffic and [goaltender Matt Lukacs] fought through. They did a great job of boxing us out after the first 10 minutes of the game.”

The North Stars scored twice in those first 10 minutes, taking a 2-0 lead thanks to two power play goals.

Keith Anderson, and then captain Layne Young, registered the goals seven minutes apart.

Those would be the last goals the team scored this season.

“Special group of guys and I’ve been happy to contribute to making them better people,” Heck said, reflecting on his first year as head coach. “Loved my first year in the Battlefords. Always had great fans, full barn; you’re always excited to come to the rink. I learnt a lot from the players and [assistant coach] Boyd [Wakelin] and [goalie coach] Travis [Harrington]. We got along great.”

A difference maker in game 5 was certainly goaltender Lukacs, who had to make his first start since Feb. 23 because starter Bo Didur wasn’t 100 per cent.

He finished the night with 31 saves on 33 shots, and didn’t allow a goal in the final 49 minutes of the game.

“He prepares himself as well as anyone on our team and he came to play today,” Bruins head coach Chris Lewgood said. “And our backcheck principles that we like to follow, we were more detailed with that.”

Veterans Fletcher and Holt, who are playing in their final junior season, also stepped up: Fletcher with the game-winning-goal and an assist, and Holt with two goals and two assists.

“Holt, in my opinion, has become one of the best two-centreman in the SJHL,” Lewgood said. “He deserves a little more than he’s been given. It’s been that way his entire life. It’s been an uphill climb for him but he always seems to find a way to exceed everyone’s expectations.”

Holt had seven points in the series, while Fletcher had six goals and three assists.

The Bruins will play either the Nipawin Hawks or Humboldt Broncos in the final, with game 5 of that semifinal series set for Friday. Nipawin currently leads 3-1.

Meanwhile, the North Stars will see nine players graduate from the team: captain Layne Young, Keith Anderson, Chaseton Braid, Troy Gerein, Conor Jensen, Taryn Kotchorek, Levi Kleiboer, Garan Magnes, and Connor Manegre. All except Kleiboer are 1997-born players and too old to return, while Kleiboer is expected to join the University of Maine Blackbears in the fall.

Young will suit up for the University of Saskatchewan Huskies USports program next season, while some of the others players are expected to commit to post-secondary institutions in the coming months.

 

nathan.kanter@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @NathanKanter11