The North Stars have had the privilege of playing in three tremendous small communities this season. First in Pinehouse, then in Wadena and their final stop was in Edam for a tilt against the Ice Wolves.
The Battlefords looked to extend their winning streak to five, while going for the season sweep against La Ronge Saturday night.
The Edam Community Centre was packed to the brim, filled with the passion for hockey. Unfortunately for the North Stars, the game would be one they would soon want to forget, allowing seven unanswered goals in a 7-1 loss.
“The cheering and the chanting and all that good stuff, that’s hockey in Saskatchewan,” Head Coach Kevin Hasselberg said after the game, “There’s a lot of pride and a lot of passion in this community, and that was on full display.”
The game got off to a great start in front of a packed crowd filled with family and billets from the black and white. Layne Young busted down the right wing before stopping up to find Dustin Gorgi who promptly sniped his 22nd of the season and second in as many nights. The release beat Kris Joyce under the blocker to give the North Stars an early 1-0 lead.
The Ice Wolves spoiled the small community fun for the Battlefords after scoring five unanswered in the second period, chasing Taryn Kotchorek from the net and bringing in Tyler Fuhr for relief.
First it was Braden Jakubowski taking a pass from Matthew Painchoud on the left wing before tying the game at one, going far side. Kotchorek got a piece of it with his shoulder, but it wouldn’t be enough as the puck found the back of the net.
A nasty giveaway in the defensive zone led to a partial breakaway for Painchaud, who went forehand-backhand before flipping it under the glove of the netminder to give La Ronge their first lead of the game.
A power play tally from Nakeho Lamonthe increased the Ice Wolves advantage to two in the middle frame. After Kotchorek stopped the initial shot, the puck trickled out of his body armour and landed in the crease. LaMothe found it in the blue paint and narrowly beat a recovering Kotchorek and his left pad, giving the Ice Wolves a two-goal advantage.
Painchoud and Jakubowski were finding each other throughout the tilt, connecting on the fourth goal of the second period. Flying down the right wing Jakubowski hit a streaking Painchoud with a cross-ice pass, springing him for a partial breakaway before scoring his second of the game and 11th of the season. He then returned the favour to Jakubowski, feeding him with a cross-crease pass deep in the North Stars territory to make it 5-1 La Ronge.
It wasn’t the Battlefords night in Edam. It seemed as though everything was finding the back of their net. It became clear when top rated defenceman Connor Sych tried to clear a rebound that bounced off the chest of Fuhr, and kicked it into his net by doing so. A team that had lost just ten games going into Saturday night, one would have to think that a game like this was going to happen at some point during this incredible season.
“It wasn’t our night. Anything they were throwing at our net was going in, and obviously our guys weren’t contributing with helping to keep the pucks out. That comes back to the penalty kill and the poor discipline that we displayed,” Hasselberg said.
Gorgi and Troy Gerein both dropped the gloves in a heated third period, and put on quite a show for the many fans, families and billets who made the trip to Edam.
LaMothe added another tally late in the final frame with his second of the game, going forehand, backhand, flipping the puck under the blocker of Fuhr.
The lack of scoring wasn’t because of a lack of offence, though. Joyce stopped 50 of 51 shots the North Stars threw at him, coming up with huge saves to keep the Battlefords from having any shot of climbing back into the game.
On deck for the Battlefords is an offensive showdown in Melfort against the Mustangs.
