Third period comeback. Overtime. Whitney Forum win. The Bombers have tied the series.
Flin Flon turned around a 3-1 deficit after two periods to score twice in the third, tie the game up and force overtime, where Jacob Vockler was the hero.
The Stars opened the scoring with a Evan Waldie tap-in that beat Bomber goalie Cal Schell four minutes into the first. However, Zak Smith did it himself less than a minute later, breaking into the zone, picking up a turned-over puck and going post-in on Battlefords goalie Michael Harroch.
The tie wouldn't last long, as Dylan Esau snuck one in for the Stars at the six-minute mark to give Battlefords a 2-1 lead.
The Stars would extend the lead in the third, with Esau pouncing on a rebound and making it 3-1 Stars. The Bombers would buzz the net all period, picking up 20 shots in total according to the in-rink count, at one point even getting a shot on goal that stopped right at the goal line before being cleared away. Harroch and the Stars stood tall through 40.
In the third, the Bombers found cracks in the Stars defence and dug in. First came a goal from Matt Raymond, who banged home a loose puck to bring the Bombers within striking distance. Then, moments later, Brett Wieschorster tied things up with a whack in the middle of a goalmouth scrum that got the puck through Harroch. The Bombers set the pace in the third period, but were unable to close it out in regulation.
Sudden death overtime would be required.
After four minutes of OT came a Bomber breakthrough, as Gabriel Shipper, Drew Kuzma and Jacob Vockler broke through the Stars defence on an odd man rush. Shipper found Kuzma cross-ice, then Kuzma found Vockler open at the side of the net. The puck slid to Vockler and the forward made no mistake, ending the game, tying the series and sending 943 fans at the Whitney Forum into absolute hysterics.
Schell got the win for the second time in as many nights with 29 saves, while Harroch got his second L of the week despite making 46 stops.
The Bombers and Stars are now tied at two in their first round series, which will continue in North Battleford for Game 5 Friday. Game 6 will take place at the Whitney Forum Sunday, with a Game 7 (if required) slated to be played March 29 in North Battleford.
Through eight games this season between the Stars and Bombers, the teams are now even at four wins apiece. Curiously, the home team has won all eight of those games - if the series goes to seven games, it would mean two would be played on Battlefords' home ice.
Elsewhere in the SJHL playoff picture, Yorkton may be on the verge of the playoffs' first big upset, beating third-seeded Melfort 5-2 Wednesday night and taking a 3-1 series lead. Meanwhile, the Humboldt Broncos overcame being down 5-3 in the second period to beat La Ronge 7-5, tying their series at two apiece.
Estevan and Notre Dame will play Game 4 of their series Thursday in Wilcox - Estevan currently leads that series 2-1.
