Once the Battlefords North Stars scored Friday night, there was no stopping them against the Notre Dame Hounds.
A five goal second period, which included a three-goal outburst over the course of a 75-second span, was the difference at the Civic Centre as the North Stars picked up a 5-1 win over their divisional rival.
“We played with energy and we were physical,” North Stars head coach and general manager Brandon Heck said.
“It wasn’t just one guy as well. Everyone in the lineup stepped up their physical play and that’s how we were able to generate some momentum.”
Keith Anderson led the way on offence with two goals and an assist each, while Matthias Urbanski had a goal and two assists in the victory.
“A lot of guys were giving their best efforts tonight,” Anderson said. “When you see the guy next to you on the bench giving everything that he has, that just inspires you to go out there and match that level of play.”
Cody Spagrud had a three-assist evening for the North Stars, who got their other goals from Layne Young and MacGregor Sinclair.
The defence also turned in a stellar performance as the Hounds were limited to just 18 shots on net, 17 of which were turned aside by Joel Grzybowski.
“We were all doing our job in our end of the ice,” Anderson said.
“The wingers were chipping pucks out, the centres were supporting the puck and the defencemen were moving the puck up quickly.”
Marshall Wilton had the lone goal for the Hounds, who have a 21-11-1-3 record to sit fifth in the league standings and are eight points back of the North Stars for the lead in the Global Ag Risk Solutions Division.
The North Stars, who have won their last four games, now have a 26-5-2-0 mark and are six points back of the league-leading Nipawin Hawks, though they do have four games in hand over them.
The top two sides in the 12-team loop will be squaring off Tuesday night in Nipawin, as the North Stars begin a six-game road swing against a team who have won 10 straight games.
“If we play our game, we have a chance to win every night,” Young said.
“We just need to play hard and do what we do best, that’s what has made us successful.”
Following that game in Nipawin, the North Stars will travel to the Whitney Forum to face the Bombers on Friday and Saturday.
The trip will continue on Friday, Jan. 19 against the Yorkton Terriers before a visit to Balcarres on Saturday, Jan. 20 to play the Melville Millionaires as part of Hockey Day in Saskatchewan.
The North Stars will wrap up the road swing on Wednesday, Jan. 24 against the Melfort Mustangs.
Prior to Friday's game, the North Stars made a trade with the Olds Grizzlys of the Alberta Junior Hockey League as they acqured forward Jared Power in exchange for forward Dylan Williamson.
Power, a 19 year old from Calgary, had 11 points in 14 games for the Grizzlys and put up 33 points in 51 contests last year for the Grizzlys and the Bonnyville Pontiacs.
Williamson, a 20 year old from Calgary who was acquired from the Calgary Mustangs in December in exchange for goaltender Kolby Matthews, played in just one game for the North Stars before departing the team and signing with the Nelson Leafs of the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League in British Columbia.
Meanwhile, former North Stars forward Ben Allen is back in the SJHL as he was traded by the British Columbia Hockey League's Penticton Vees to the Melfort Mustangs in exchange for the rights to defenceman James Miller Sunday.
Allen, who had 45 points in 44 games with the North Stars last season before he was dealt to the Vees in the off-season, had 11 points in 37 games for the BCHL champions and has committed to play for the NCAA's Alabama-Huntsville Chargers next year.
The trade deadline across all Canadian Junior A leagues is Wednesday.
