Jake McMillen's two goals clinched the Battlefords North Stars 5-2 win against the Nipawin Hawks Friday night at the Civic Centre.
It was the North Stars' 13th straight win.
The Hawks had the early chance to open the scoring in the first. Garret Lockeridge deflected Eric Bollefer's just wide of the North Stars' net.
Six minutes into the period, Battlefords forward Cameron Blair and Nipawin defenceman Leighton McLachlan squared off for a spirited fight that lasted at least a minute. Both players landed good punches on their opponent.
Battlefords started to take over the game on a power play midway through the first. With Reece Forman in the box for tripping, the North Stars generated a few chances. Dillon Forbes' point shot through traffic was stopped by Hawks goaltender Joe O'Brien. The Nipawin netminder also stopped Jake Erickson's shot through a Ryne Keller screen.
Nipawin had a strong chance late in the period. Carter Danczak dragged the puck through Erickson's legs, but lost control of it in front of the Battlefords' net.
The game saw its first goal early in the second period. O'Brien stopped Battlefords forward Jack Petrino's shot on the rush. The North Stars recovered the puck in the corner. Petrino worked back to the centre of the ice, received a pass from Tanner Quinn and snapped it past O'Brien 2:07 into the period.
A lucky bounce gave the North Stars a 2-0 lead with 12:08 remaining in the period. Kendall Fransoo's shot hit a glove of a Hawks defender in front of the net and the puck trickled past O'Brien. It was Fransoo's first career SJHL goal and teammates grabbed the puck from the net as a keepsake.
Nipawin cut the lead in half about three minutes later. Lockeridge made a nice individual effort as he chipped the puck around a North Stars defender. He regained the puck and snapped it into the corner above Battlefords goaltender Michael Gudmandson's blocker with 8:59 to play.
After the goal, the North Stars had a couple of chances to restore their two-goal lead. Ryne Keller guarded the puck from McLachlan and got a one-handed shot off, but O'Brien made the save. Shortly after, Igor Leonenko deked to his right and missed a wide open net on his backhand.
After Leonenko missed the net, the Hawks took the puck the length of the ice and tied the game with 7:07 remaining in the second. Kris Spriggs' shot was stopped by Gudmandson, but the puck trickled through his five-hole. Tad Kozun skated in and knocked the puck into the net to even the game at two.
In the third, the North Stars jumped back in front with two quick goals. Leonenko broke the tie 4:24 into the period. He used his strength to fend off a Hawks defender before chipping the puck past O'Brien. McMillen followed with his first of two goals when he beat O'Brien high over his blocker 5:19 into the period.
There was another fight with 13:26 remaining in the game. Battlefords forward Nick Fountain and Hawks defenceman Jivan Sidhu were trash talking behind the play. The two decided to drop the gloves. Sidhu got more punches in, but Fountain scored the takedown.
The North Stars appeared to extend the lead to three on a mid-period power play. McMillen beat O'Brien, but the referees decided he kicked the puck into the net.
McMillen made up for it with 4:08 left to play. He received a slap pass from Latrell Charleson and redirected the puck past O'Brien to give the North Stars the 5-2 win.
Gudmandson made 24 saves to earn his 16th win of the season. O'Brien stopped 41 of 46 shots faced to pick up his 13th loss of the year.
