Coming into the game on a three game losing streak including losses to two divisional opponents, the Klippers took on their third divisional opponent in a week in Battlefords North Stars for their final game of 2021. While the game was a fun, back and forth one, the Klippers end up running into a bit of bad luck and losing 3-1.

The start of the game was quite slow for the Klippers. They did register the first shot in the game, but then gave up the next four as the North Stars started a strong cycle game in the offensive zone. It was on the rush however when the North Stars scored their first of the game when Jake Southgate blocked a shot in his own zone and hustled up ice on a 3-on-2 on the left side. He dropped it to the trailing Holden Doell who fired a wrist shot from the middle of the slot passed Brett Sweet.

From there, the Klippers woke up and started to press back at the other end mainly on the rush with some good chances, but there was a few moments of sustained offensive zone pressure as well. While at even strength, Logan Linklater had an open chance at the net down the left side of the ice where his shot just hit the top of Michael Harroch's glove and flew out of play.

Late in the period, the Klippers got a powerplay opportunity and it seems that both units have started to find their stride. The best chance on the man advantage saw Tylin Hilbig hammer a onetimer out of the corner off the corner of the post and out, and the North Stars would escape the period with the lead.

After 1: Klippers 0 - 1 North Stars, shots 11-8

The second started with the Klippers and North Stars playing back and forth in each other's ends for three minutes, but then Nathan Degraves got called on a crosscheck in front of his own net as part of a net front battle. While down a man for the first time, not only did the Klippers not give up a goal, but they actually outshot the North Stars on their initial man advantage 2-0 thanks in large part to a great forecheck from Noah Lindsay with Jaxon Georget, who's normally the most aggressive penalty killer for the Klippers, playing a solid support role on the shift.

At the 11 minute mark, Charles Obobaifo was called on a holding penalty after getting tangled up in a battle along the wall, and the North Stars this time scored quickly. As they cycled the zone, Steven Kesslering circled around the top of the slot until he found a lane around a screen where he shot, and Sweet didn't see the shot in time before it to give Kesslering the powerplay marker with assists from Jordan Grill and Dylan Esau 14 seconds into the man advantage.

The Klippers put a lot of pressure on the North Stars through the rest of the period, and Andrew Blocker generated some great offence on the rush after stealing the puck at centre and wheeling down the right side of the ice and behind the net. Just before he went around back, he popped the puck out front for Aiden Bangs who tapped it in to make it a one goal game.

After 2: Klippers 1 - 2 North Stars, shots 13-12 Klippers in the period, 23-21 North Stars overall

In the third period, both teams played some hard back and forth hockey. Defensively, the Klippers started to shut things down. An issue they had in previous games was rebounds, the Klippers defense had not been too diligent in getting those pucks away from their goaltender, but that was resolved through this game and especially in the third period.

The North Stars did get a chance when Dylan Esau was sprung on the breakaway in the third period to try and score, but he lifted his shot over the net without any pressure.

Unfortunately, a final push from the Klippers was lost due to some bad luck. With over two minutes left, the Klippers looked to pull Brett Sweet out of the net and he skated towards the bench. As he arrived, so did the puck on his stick with the North Stars pressing in. If he left it, the North Stars had an easy tap in, so he tried to play it up ice, but it got lost in the pile at centre. Ryland McNinch brought it back out and put it into the empty net with just under two minutes left.

FINAL: Klippers 1 - 3 North Stars, shots 9-6 Klippers in the period, 30-29 Klippers overall