Coming into Wednesday night's game one point back of the Notre Dame Hounds for the final playoff spot with three less games to play, the Kindersley Jr Klippers are going to be battling hard for a playoff spot for the rest of the season. One of the teams they're fighting with is the Yorkton Terriers, but the Klippers got a leg up after their third straight win in overtime 3-2, and their fourth win in a row overall, thanks to a great bounce late in the game from the hockey gods.

The first period started off well for the Klippers. They were rest, Yorkton was playing their second game in as many nights along with playing shorthanded, and it showed in the early goings. The Klippers had a few good chances as they put up an earl 5-1 lead in the shot department, but they weren't getting to the rebounds that Terriers goaltender Kael DePape was letting go.

An early big save came from Matt Pesenti who had his glove tested with a pass into the slot and he stretched out wide to keep the puck out. From here, the Terriers started to find some momentum and they put shots on goal particularly on the rush, which Pesenti kept stopping and usually didn't keep the puck in play which made things go a little slower but kept it tied.

Nathan DeGraves finally broke the tie for the Klippers with just 1:32 left in the period when the Klippers had the puck in the offensive zone, and Brayden Koch from the right point put the puck into the middle for DeGraves, and his wrist shot snuck through traffic before being redirected by a defender right in front of the net.

After 1: Klippers 1 - 0 Terriers, shots 14-12 Terriers

The second period started off well for the Klippers again with a couple early chances, but the Terriers had clearly found their legs quicker in this period compared to the last. Within two minutes, they were all over the Klippers they started to pour shots on net.

Just over five minutes into the period, Maddux Nollski would start the play that tied the game when he shot low on Pesenti with a crowd in front of the net, but the puck bounced around the crowd to Eric Boers alone on the right side of the net who was able to tap the puck in to tie the game for the Terriers.

The Klippers got a bad bounce after that when Cash Arntsen collided with a player behind the play and was called for the interference, and that sent the Terriers to the powerplay when they were already rolling. The Klippers penalty kill went to work and managed to slow down the Terriers enough that Kishaun Gervais would take a tripping call that switched things to 4-on-4.

After the Terriers penalty ended, the Klippers couldn't get much going on the powerplay, and the Terriers would go on a run putting up 11 unanswered shots through the middle of the period. It wasn't until Nollski slashed the stick out of the hands of Charles Obobaifo right in front of the official, and the Klippers went back to the powerplay. This time they were able to set up and earn a few shots including one from Carson Baylis on the doorstep on a rebound, but he couldn't put the puck in.

In the dying seconds of the period, Noah Lindsay playing his 100th game in the SJHL shot from a sharp angle left of the net and the rebound popped out front, and Cameron Rimstad was knocked down in the battle in front of the net and tried to put the puck in an open cage from his stomach but couldn't quite reach, and the period would end tied.

After 2: Klippers 1 - 1 Terriers, shots 17-6 Terriers in the period, 31-18 Terriers overall

The third period started with back and forth action, Terriers taking shots off the rush, Klippers dumping the puck in and getting their chances on the cycle, while both teams tried to grind the other down through the game. Early in the period there was a scary moment when Nathan DeGraves chased the puck into his own zone behind the net and he slowed up expecting an icing call, but he didn't get one and Karsten Kruska put the shoulder into him hard. DeGraves was on the ice for a while, but he did stay in the game after getting his bell rung.

Passed the 13 minute mark, the Klippers would fall behind again and it put some pressure on. Colby Vranai circled the top of the zone near the blueline and fired a shot through traffic that Zach McIntyre tipped along the way, and the Terriers had the lead with less than half the period left.

The Klippers were in tough, but for once they got a bounce from the hockey gods. Just as Pesenti started to leave his crease for the extra attacker, Josh Morton dumped the puck into the offensive zone so his team could chase down the puck and Terriers goaltender DePape stepped out of his net to play it behind. The boards had another idea though and the puck popped out in front of the wide open net for Tylin Hilbig who tapped in the puck to tie the game with 1:34 left.

After 3: Klippers 2 - 2 Terriers, shots 17-13 Klippers in the period, 44-36 Terriers overall

 

Going into the extra period, the Klippers had won their last two straight games in a shootout while the Terriers had won their last three games in overtime including the night before against the North Stars. Overtime again solved nothing despite the Terriers putting up nine shots in just five minutes, and Pesenti stood strong in goal once more. The Klippers best chance came from Charles Obobaifo on the rush who put one off the side of the post, and we need the third straight shootout.

In the shootout, the Clay Sleeva, Zach McIntyre, and a frustrated Kishaun Gervais who tossed his stick into the crowd after all three men were denied by Pesenti. As for the Klippers, Aiden Bangs was robbed by a great save from DePape, Noah Lindsay mishandled it and was denied for the first time in six attempts this season, but Andrew Schaab would score on a beautiful move where he faked the snap shot, then stick handled about six times back to his forehand and potted the puck past the glove.

FINAL (SO) Klippers 3 - 2 Terriers, shots 9-3 Terriers in overtime, 53-39 Terriers overall

The win puts the Klippers back in the playoffs with one of the toughest schedules in the league left. They currently sit one point ahead of the Notre Dame Hounds, who have three more games to play this season than the Klippers, and they have the season series over the Klippers should things end up in a tie. The good news is that the first tiebreaker goes to the team with the most wins, and the Klippers have 21 wins over the season while Notre Dame has just 19.

Right now the final three playoff spots sit Yorkton, La Ronge, Kindersley, and Notre Dame is trailing in ninth with extra games to play. The Klippers have the season series over both Yorkton and La Ronge. 

Matt Pesenti has stopped nine straight shootout attempts in the last three games, and after he made 51 saves on 53 shots in this game, he now has a four game winning streak going with the team and a save percentage slightly above 94% in those four games. 

Noah Lindsay created a lot of chances in his 100th game in the SJHL but was unable to keep his point streak going to four games.

Brayden Koch had an assist on DeGraves' goal from the first period. That puts him a four points (1G-3A) over the course of the last four games.