Stars keep hopes alive in Western Canada Cup

The Battlefords North Stars kept their slim playoff hopes alive Thursday afternoon at the Western Canada Cup by blanking the British Columbia Hockey League’s Chilliwack Chiefs 3-0.

With the regulation win, Battlefords improved its WCC record to 1-2-1.

With three points for the win in regulation, and another one for an overtime loss, the Stars now have four points and could grab the final playoff spot with a loss in regulation by either the host Penticton Vees or the Manitoba Junior Hockey League champion Portage Terriers.

Those two teams were playing in the late game Thursday night. Should that contest go into overtime, however, the Stars would be automatically eliminated as both the Vees and Terriers entered the game with three points and the loser would gain a point for an OT loss and beat out Battlefords in a potential tiebreaker scenario.

Layne Young, with a pair of goals, and Keaton Holinaty scored Thursday for the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League champion Stars, who led 1-0 after the opening frame and held on for the win.

Saskatoon Blades prospect Joel Grzybowski made 22 saves for the Stars, who out-shot the Chiefs 2522.

Chilliwack was 0-for-3 on the power play. Battlefords went 0-for-2.

Attendance was 1,813. Should the Stars advance to Saturday’s playoff round, they would finish fourth and play the thirdplace team (either Penticton or Portage).

The winner of the third-versus-fourth game would meet the loser of Saturday’s one-versus-two final on Sunday to decide the second Western Canada representative for the upcoming Royal Bank Cup tournament in Cobourg, Ont.