After their first full week off of the season resulted in a number of trades, the Kindersley Jr. Klippers got back on the road Sunday night to take on a divisional opponent in the Notre Dame Hounds. In their two meetings prior, the Klippers had not had their best efforts and end up losing, and this time the Klippers would play much better, but some miscues in the first period resulted in a 4-2 loss.

The first mistake was a fairly innocent one, a simple faceoff loss four minutes in. Kevin Anderson won the draw back for the Hounds to Jaryd Sych, and he fired a shot that Brett Sweet was able to kick away, but he kicked it directly into the skate of Eliot Dutil who was crashing the net and end up with a rebound goal.

Just over 10 minutes into the period, the Klippers gave up an unfortunate turnover that resulted in a goal. Carson Baylis came into the corner, right side of Sweet, to support his defenceman battling the puck in the corner. As soon as Baylis picked the puck up out of the pile, the fourth man into the scrum for the Hounds Johno Hoins laid a hard check on Baylis that sent the puck into open ice towards the slot where a streaking Will Dawson hammered a hard slapshot past Sweet's glove.

It looked like the Klippers were starting to find their legs with their first powerplay 14 minutes into the period after Matthew Morgan went to the box, and the Klippers were able to get a couple of chances on the man advantage with their first unit out for a full 1:30 because of sustained pressure. Near the end of the powerplay though, a pass towards the middle would get poked past Charles Obobaifo and Kevin Anderson would go down the left side of the ice with Morgan joining him out of the penalty box, and Anderson's pass gave Morgan an easy tap in.

Sweet was in his second consecutive start for the first time Sunday after earning runner up honours as SJHL goaltender of the week, and his best stop came off a partial breakaway from one of the most dangerous Hounds Connor Nolan, but giving up three goals on 22 shots was enough to give Sweet the hook and Matt Pesenti came in for the second.

After 1: Klippers 0 - 3 Hounds, shots 22-12

The second period was a much more defensive period for both teams, and part of that started because of the early powerplay the Klippers earned after Dane Probe was called on a high stick. This time around, the first unit didn't find the same success they had in the first period, but the second unit seemed to find their stride, but they still couldn't quite strike.

Matt Pesenti would end up rolling around in his crease at one point during the midway portion of the period as the puck skittered through the crease behind him and a crowd formed in front, but somehow the puck would get swept away into the corner and the Klippers would start to build a little momentum.

Cash Arntsen showed some real heart on a shift in the offensive zone when he went down awkwardly in a collision behind the net and seemed to twist his ankle, and he got back to his feet limping. He started to skate back towards the bench but recognized a shot was about to come on net, and he stopped to make the screen instead and even tipped the puck for a shot on goal. After a little rest on the bench, he continued to play the game.

Dane Probe would give the Klippers both their third and fourth powerplay opportunities after he high sticked Ethan Hilbig and drew some blood for a double minor, and the Klippers would take advantage despite the net coming off for a lengthy break twice during the man advantage. In the final 30 seconds of the four minute powerplay, Jaxon Georget would hold the puck on the left side of the ice and dump it in towards the corner for Matt Mazzocchi. He would walk to the side of the net and try jamming the puck fivehole, but the rebound would kick out to Aiden Bangs who would score his third of the season. After going eight straight games without a powerplay goal, the Klippers now have a powerplay goal in each of their last two games.

Late in the period, the Klippers would suffer a big loss when newly acquired defenceman Josh Morton would go down awkwardly in a collision in the offensive zone with Antoine St. Onge, and he left the game.

After 2: Klippers 1 - 3 Hounds, shots 8-7 Hounds in the period, 30-19 Hounds in the game

In the third period, another one of the new acquisitions for the Klippers Brayden Koch would show a little fire in a scrum at the side of the net with Blake Rasmuson that resulted in roughing calls for both, and the ice opened up to 4-on-4. With that much extra space, the speedy Klippers sent out Logan Linklater and Jaxon Georget, two of their fastest skaters, against two of the fastest for the Hound Eliot Dutil and Kevin Anderson, but neither team could strike.

Then eight minutes in, the Klippers made it a one goal game on the rush when Obobaifo brought the puck into the offensive zone and took a hit as he sent it ahead to Cash Arntsen, and his pass from the left was tipped along the way but it was no issue for Logan Linklater as he batted the puck out of the air, giving the Klippers some more momentum to try and tie things up.

The Klippers would battle back and outshoot the Hound 7-2 through the first half of the period, but that momentum stalled when Chase Friedt-Mohr was called on a holding call, which sent the league's number one powerplay on to the ice. That said, the Klippers were able to fend off the powerplay, but the Hounds managed a fair few shots that Pesenti was able to stop.

The Hounds would continue the pressure after the powerplay, and the Hounds would get a goal to seal it just over with just over a minute left in the game with a onetimer from Dutil in the slot that Pesenti got a piece of, assists going to Nolan and Rasmuson.

FINAL: Klippers 2 - 4 Hounds, shots 13-9 Hounds in the period, 43-28 Hounds in the game

GAME NOTES

Cash Arntsen and Logan Linklater have both had a point on three of the last six goals for the Klippers, with Arntsen having a 1G-4A in his last two games, and Linklater at 2G-1A in the same time frame. With another assist in last Friday's game against the Yorkton Terriers, Arntsen's point streak extends back to the last three games.

Due to injuries as of late, Klippers defenceman Ethan Grabowski play started the game playing right wing as a forward, but after the injury to Josh Morton, Grabowski moved back to his natural position at defence without missing a step.

Andrew Blocker was called for a charging call in the final two minutes of the game on what looked to be as clean a hit you can make at his own blueline, showing just how much grit he brings to the offence. 

Noah Lindsay is hopeful to make his return to the lineup Tuesday, but it's not likely with his upper body injury. As for Coletyn Boyarski, who was dealing with a minor lower body injury and was out of the lineup, he will likely return Tuesday.

The Klippers will have the day off Monday before welcoming the Humboldt Broncos to town Tuesday. While the Broncos have been consistently one of the best team's in the league so far this season, their only meeting so far went to a shootout in which the Klippers narrowly lost.