SJHL and CJHL records were broken when the North Stars went 21 rounds in a shootout with the Red Wings Friday, Jan. 2, 2026. (Byron Hildebrand Photography)

By Teena Monteleone

Riding the high

CJHL, SJHL records broken in historic shootout victory for North Stars

Jan 12, 2026 | 5:14 PM

The Battlefords North Stars are still buzzing days after being part of one of the most memorable games in Canadian junior hockey history.

It took a Canadian Junior Hockey League and Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League record 21 rounds of a shootout before Finlay Klippenstein finally sealed the dramatic 3–2 victory over the Weyburn Red Wings, scoring on his second attempt. Four skaters from each team shot twice before Klippenstein ended the marathon contest.

“You don’t really expect to go twice, so I was a bit bummed when I didn’t score my first one, but I was pretty excited to get the second chance there,” he said. “We went through the whole team. I think a bunch of guys didn’t expect to get the call. But yeah, it was super cool.”

Linken Fisher first found the back of the net for the North Stars in the second round. Weyburn’s Roan Burgess immediately followed suit for his team. After that. North Star’s goaltender Spencer Michnik and Weyburn’s Nate Stevens combined to stop 36 shots in a row. Fans coudn’t get enough of the performance. The win marked Michnik’s first game as a North Star, making the moment even more special.

North Stars head coach Connor Logan said the shootout eventually became less about nerves and more about embracing the moment.

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“You get to a point where you have no choice but to just start enjoying it and, you know, calling names that you didn’t think you would end up calling. But it was a lot of fun. I think you got to a point where maybe the nerves just went away because you just, who knows what was going to happen,” Logan said.

The shootout now stands as the longest in CJHL and SJHL history, falling just short of the global record set in 2018 when Switzerland’s U20 league saw EHC Biel defeat Genève Futur in a 25-round shootout.

“It was extraordinary. You look around the rink, everyone is on the edge of their seats. Our guys were dialed in. You had guys trying to come up with different moves to maybe try. And it was just a really, really cool experience that rarely ever happens… so awesome just to be a part of that,” said Assistant Coach Owen Lamb.

Calling the historic moment was Ryan Lambert, the voice of the North Stars, who said the game was unforgettable — especially early in his broadcasting career.

“It was an unbelievable experience. I never could have expected to call a game like that in my entire career, never mind my first year in the industry. When I was on air joking about the backup goalies going out to shoot, I realized how crazy of a moment I was calling,” Lambert said.

It’s a moment that will live on in team history for years to come and a high that the North Stars hope to continue riding on this season. The team remains undefeated after the Christmas break and will look for their seventh straight win on Friday night in Warman against the Wolverines.

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teena.monteleone@pattisonmedia.com