The Kindersely Klippers spoiled the Battlefords North Stars' party Friday night at the Civic Centre.
After the North Stars were presented with the 2014 Kramer Division Championship banner in a pre-game ceremony, Owen LaClare led the Klippers to a 5-2 win in both teams' first game of the SJHL season.
North Stars head coach and general manager Kevin Hasselberg said the North Stars were "gripping sticks" throughout the game, leading to negative things snowballing against the home team.
"At times, everybody showed flashes of how good of players they can be, but we didn't get a consistent effort out of everybody for 60 [minutes]," said Hasselberg. "That's the trials and tribulations of junior hockey and certainly in home opener situations."
The rivalry between the two teams was on display prior to the opening faceoff. Kindersley's Cody Young slashed the back of North Stars forward Brenden Heinrich's legs. Heinrich responded with a cross check as both players were warned by the officials.
The two teams felt each other out in the first of eight meetings between them on the season. The Klippers drew first blood on the power play after Heinrich was sent off for tripping. Young's shot from the slot rang off the right post and bounced onto the stick of LaClare. He wristed the puck into the top of the net to put the Klippers up 1-0 after seven minutes.
Near the end of the first, the North Stars pressed for the equalizer. With less than 20 seconds remaining, Nick Fountain wrapped a pass around the net to Matthew Saharchuk who put the puck wide of the top corner. Battlefords regained the puck and Fountain had a chance in the slot, but was turned aside by the blocker of Klippers goaltender Evan Weninger.
The Klippers increased their lead 17 seconds into the second period. On the first shift of the second, Marc Dubeau let a shot go from the top of the faceoff circle through traffic. North Stars goaltender Spencer Tremblay saw the puck too late and couldn't react as the Klippers went up 2-0.
The North Stars drew two consecutive power plays after the goal, but were unable to capitalize on either. They did not score on eight power-play opportunities during the game. Hasselberg said the power play wasn't something they paid much attention to in the pre-season.
"We want our guys to be creative," said Hasselberg. "I think when your mind is going a million miles an hour out there and focused on other things, it takes away from your effectiveness. We have some highly skilled players that need to be calm and need to be focused on that situation and make plays. We just didn't make plays tonight."
LaClare and the Klippers did take advantage of their chances with the man-advantage. The forward from Edam scored his second power-play goal of the game 7:30 into the second. With the Klippers in possession of the puck in the attacking zone, Joel Webb dropped it for a circling LaClare who put the puck on net. Tremblay dove to his left in the crease, but was unable to make the save to put the Klippers up 3-0.
The North Stars broke the shutout with 4:46 to go in the second. Reed Delainey muscled the puck into the Klippers' zone as he took a hit. Robin Yew took the puck and made a centring pass to a trailing Brady O'Sullivan who snuck the puck through Weninger to make it a 3-1 game heading into the third.
Midway through the third, LaClare completed his hat trick. Off of a faceoff in the North Stars' zone, LaClare took the puck and beat Tremblay low on the near post with 11:02 to go.
Saharchuk made it a two-goal game again with 8:25 left to play. His shot from against the boards on the right wing fooled Weninger as the North Stars made it a 4-2 game.
However, it was as close as they came. Dubeau scored his second goal of the game into an empty net with one minute to go to seal the 5-2 win for the Klippers.
Weninger stopped 30 shots en route to his first win of the season. Tremblay made 28 saves in the loss.
The two teams play again Saturday night in Kindersley. Hasselberg said the pressure of the home opener is off his teams as they head out on the road.
"It's gotta sting to lose a game like that. I think that's a very good opportunity to test character of our leaders and to see what the response factor is going to be based on some adversity we faced tonight."
Puck drop in Kindersely is 7:30 p.m. Saturday night.
