NORTH BATTLEFORD - The Battlefords North Stars are tied in their series with the Flin Flon Bombers as the opening-round series heads back to North Battleford Friday.
The North Stars dropped both games on the road in Flin Flon, losing 4-2 on Tuesday and then 4-3 in overtime Wednesday.
Michael Harroch was again in net for both games, but unlike the first two games in the series he was unable to withstand the barrage of shots fired at him by the Bombers. In game three Flin Flon outshot the North Stars 43-23.
Even though the North Stars tied the game in the second period on goals from Steven Kesslering and Holden Doell, Rylan Thiessen scored the eventual game winner at the 8:56 mark and Drew Kuzma added the insurance in the third period.
Wednesday’s game was particularly disappointing for North Stars fans as the team surrendered a 3-1 lead. The North Stars had goals from Evan Waldie and from Dylan Esau, who had a shorthanded goal in the first and one in the second.
But the Bombers got goals from Matt Raymond and Brett Wieschorster to tie the game, and then Jacob Vockler won it at the 4:23 mark of overtime.
In what has become a common theme, the Bombers again outshot the North Stars 49-33. The Bombers have outshot the North Stars in all four contests of the series, but the two teams are nevertheless deadlocked at two games apiece.
After Friday’s game in North Battleford the two teams return to Flin Flon for game six Sunday evening. If the series goes the full seven games, the deciding game would be next Tuesday in North Battleford.
