It was a game the Battlefords North Stars were likely expecting to win. But after a loss to Estevan the players and coaches had to make sure that thought was out of everyone's mind and they played to their full potential every night no matter the opponent.
The North Stars played a complete game and learned from the Estevan loss two days earlier, as they beat the Melfort Mustangs 5-2 Tuesday.
The game started eerily similar to the Sunday night matchup. The North Stars were the better team through the first 20 minutes, but led just 1-0 after the first period thanks to a Brody Luhning power play goal from Austin Evans.
The Mustangs tied the game in the second period when Godric Tham scored on Casey Parker, but the North Stars responded with two goals of their own in the second period. Blake Young scored his fourth of the season from Brandon Long. Less than a minute later, Jake McMillen scored his 11th of the season from Spencer Gosselin, who chipped the puck off the glass and out of the zone, sending McMillen in on a breakaway.
Braeden Johnson was back in the North Stars lineup Tuesday and he increased the team's lead with his ninth of the season from Tanner Quinn.
Melfort scored on a power play later in the period with a point shot from Matt Saunderson, but that was as close as they would come.
The North Stars played physical all game, as Evan Ripley and Dillon Forbes set the pace with big hits in their first shifts. The North Stars were strong defensively, as well in front of Casey Parker, who made his third straight start in net for the North Stars. Parker faced 27 shots in the win while his counterpart Jesse Wilkins made 37 saves.
The win put the North Stars at 20-15-2-2 and two points back of the Nipawin Hawks for third in the Bauer Conference and nine points up on La Ronge.
The North Stars will look to apply what they have learned over the week and aim for a four-point weekend against the Kindersley Klippers. The North Stars host the Klippers Friday at the Civic Centre and will play in Kinderlsy Saturday.
