It was out of their hands, but the Battlefords North Stars are still alive at the Western Canada Cup.
Thanks to a 5-3 win by the British Columbia Hockey League champion and tournament host Penticton Vees over the Portage Terriers of the Manitoba Junior Hockey League in the final round-robin game Thursday night at the South Okanagan Events Centre, the North Stars finished in fourth place in the standings with a 1-2-1 record and will go up against the Vees in the 3 vs. 4 playoff game Saturday.
“We’re hungry now,” North Stars head coach and general manager Nate Bedford said. “It’s been a little disappointing with how we’ve played up to this point at the tournament and now we have a chance here to finish things off the right way.
“It’ll be a bit of a redemption type game for us against Penticton and everyone’s chomping at the bit to get going.”
After picking up a crucial 3-0 victory over the BCHL’s Chilliwack Chiefs earlier in the day, the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League title holders needed either the Terriers or Vees to lose in regulation in order to clinch a playoff spot.
“That was a learning experience for everyone, myself included,” Bedford said. “If we have the chance to be in another tournament like this one, we don’t want to be in a place where other people control our destiny.
“If we have the opportunity to win games, we have to take advantage of it. I felt like we played well against Penticton, but not so much against Portage and Brooks. Luckily, we were able to pull one out against Chilliwack today to keep ourselves in it.”
Saturday’s playoff meeting with the Vees, which will get underway at 3 p.m. Saskatchewan time, is a rematch of the opening round-robin game for both teams that took place last Saturday night.
In that contest, Chris Klack scored the winning goal in overtime to give the Vees a 2-1 triumph.
“We were able to keep things close against Penticton in a game where I felt like we didn’t play overly well,” Bedford said. “I think we’ll be a little more receptive to their speed and ready to compete for a full 60 minutes, where that experience from the previous game should help us out.
“The Vees are an unselfish team that are well coached, and I think (head coach and general manager) Fred (Harbinson) is a huge influence for that style. They play with a lot of confidence and that can be a little intimidating for other teams if you aren’t prepared for it.”
Thursday’s round-robin finale was a back-and-forth affair until the third period, where the Vees outshot the Terriers by a 15-1 margin.
Taylor Sanheim broke open a tied game with to 7:31 to go and Duncan Campbell fired the puck into an empty net with 55 seconds to go to seal the win and a third place finish in the standings with a 2-1-1 mark.
Grant Cruickshank led the way on offence with two goals and an assist, while Nicholas Jones and Massimo Rizzo both dished out a pair of helpers.
Taylor Ward also scored for the Vees, who had a 15-save performance from goaltender Mathew Robson.
Chase Brakel fired home a pair of goals and Jeremey Leipsic had two assists to pace the Terriers offensively, as they finished the round-robin in fifth place with a 1-3 record.
Mackenzie Dwyer also scored in the loss, while Kurtis Chapman turned aside 27 shots.
Saturday’s meeting between the Vees and North Stars is the first of two games on the schedule, as the 2-2 Chiefs will take on the 4-0 Brooks Bandits of the Alberta Junior Hockey League at 8 p.m. Saskatchewan time for the Western Canada Cup title and a spot at the RBC Cup in Cobourg, Ont. from May 13-21.
The losing side in that encounter will play the victor of the 3 vs. 4 playoff game for the second RBC Cup berth Sunday at 5 p.m. Saskatchewan time.
There will be no on-ice action Friday, as all five teams will be attending an awards gala.
