Fresh off clinching the division championship, the Battlefords were on the road for their final overnight trip against the Melville Millionaires, looking to extend their winning streak to three.
Long-time North Stars forward, Jake McMillen, hit a career milestone, lacing his skates up for the 200th time as a member of the black and white, and on a bigger picture, as a player in the SJHL. Looking at the numbers, McMillen is having a career year, scoring 28 goals while recording 28 assists with still eight games left in the season after tonight. He is also one of just four North Stars to suit up for every game this season and is one of the role models in the Battlefords locker room. If the North Stars are in for a deep playoff run, expect McMillen to be a big contributor.
"This year you have seen the best of what Jake McMillen brings to the table. Every single year there was something different that made the crowd excited. Such a tremendous young man in our community and obviously an ambassador for the North Stars, not only for this year but he set the culture for years to come." Head Coach Kevin Hasselberg said of his forward, "I really hope that he has the opportunity to put his name up on that wall with a picture beside it that everybody that comes through the program as a North Star future for the next 100 years, or however long the North Stars last that they will see Jake McMillen's name up there and how he contributed to what the team is."
Coby Downs made sure the milestone game got off on the right foot, scoring his 24th of the season on the power play, giving him 12 points in the last four games. A game-misconduct, checking from behind penalty dished out to Melville, set the North Stars up on the man advantage. Downs took a pass from Igor Leonenko on the left faceoff circle before firing a shot under the glove of Brandon Wells, giving the Battlefords a 1-0 lead. The helper gives Leonenko a four-game point streak while Layne Young extended his to six with the second assist.
Downs was later absolutely robbed of his 25th and second of the game while looking at a wide open cage on a one-timer pass from Leonenko. Wells wasn’t going to allow it, throwing out his right pad to make an incredible save to keep it 1-0 after 20 minutes.
Shots were 12-4 for the North Stars, who continued with their strong offensive play, heading into the second period.
Young found the back of the net from the bottom of the right faceoff circle, scoring his 20th of the season early in the middle stanza. A snipe that trickled through the pads of Wells made it 2-0 North Stars. Leonenko and Downs collaborated on the goal.
The Millionaires came back just a minute later, catching the Battlefords on a bad change while transitioning into the offensive zone. Ryan Rothenberger was sprung on a partial break by Jake Tesarowski, beating Taryn Kotchorek through the wickets.
Young was an inch away from scoring his second of the tilt, hitting the post after his cross-checking penalty had ended. The miss would be the second post the North Stars hit, Leonenko dinged the cross-bar in the first.
Nonetheless, the black and white held a one-goal lead into the final frame.
The shots were 22-13 in favour of the Battlefords after two while Kotchorek made a couple of big saves on the back end to ensure his team had the lead after 40 minutes.
Young continued to catch lightning in a bottle in the third period. Rookie Cody Spagrud pinched into the offensive zone. Instead of snapping a shot on net through his open lane, he decided to saucer a pass into the slot where his rookie counterpart was there to tip it into the back of the net for his 21st of the campaign. Young now has five goals in the last two games, continuing his bid for SJHL rookie of the year.
“It was a beautiful, heads-up play. Cody was in a bit of a lull there from an offensive stand point. He’s been playing very good defensively and away from the puck...Just a fantastic play, I’m looking forward to seeing that one on tape." Hasselberg said after the game.
The North Stars scored their second unanswered to give themselves a three-goal advantage. Baxter Kanter buried his fourth of the season on a power move to the net. He was tied up with the defender as he cut to the crease and ended up falling on the Millionaires netminder. As he was going down, the puck crossed the goal-line, making it 4-1, much to the dismay of Melville.
The Millionaires answered shortly after. Kotchorek made a huge save on the initial shot from an open man in the slot, but the rebound kicked out to Tesarowski who sniped his fourth of the season, top right corner.
The Millionaires wouldn’t get any closer, as the Battlefords netminder won his 14th game of the year. The North Stars swept the season series, walking away on the right side of a 4-2 game, and kicked off their last road trip the right way.
Final shots were 35-19.
Next up is a game against the Terriers tomorrow in Yorkton. Regardless of the standings, coach Hasselberg says it will be a good test.
“That’s a very difficult rink to play in..Tthey are just a relentless, puck-pursuit hockey team. They are going to throw everything at us.”
Puck drop is 7:30 p.m.
News-Optimist THREE STARS
1) Layne Young (2 G, 1 A)
2) Coby Downs (1 G, 1 A)
3) Igor Leonenko (2 A)
