The Battlefords North Stars were back in action Friday night on the road against the Estevan Bruins hoping to snap a two game losing streak.
As it turned out, the North Stars won the game 5-4, getting back in the win column and avoiding their first three-game regular season losing streak in over two years. The North Stars offence also snapped out of a funk after scoring just once in the previous two games.
The North Stars got off to a quick first period start with two goals. Chaseton Braid got his third of the season from Brad Girard and Levi Kleiboer to open the scoring at 4:51 then, MacGregor Sinclair added to the lead with his tenth of the season to make it 2-0 at the 7:07 mark, and that would be the score through one.
In the second, Jake Tesarowski got his first from Hayden Guilderson and TJ Irey at 5:53. But the North Stars restored the two goal lead as Matthias Urbanski got his sixth from Kleiboer and Braid at 7:05. The North Stars then made it 4-1 on Girard’s first of the season unassisted at 10:44.
But Estevan stormed back as Kaelan Holt got his 12th from Tesarowski and Matthew Chekay at 15:49. Chekay then cut the margin to 4-3 with Holt assisting at 17:45.
Estevan outshot the North Stars 16-9 in the second for a 25-19 shots lead.
In the third, Girard went top corner on the Bruins for his second goal and third point of the game at 8:52 to restore a two-goal lead. Anthony Cuglietta notched the assist.
Arthur Miller got one back on the power play for the Bruins with 4:07 left in the third, with Johnny Witzke assisting, to make it 5-4. But the North Stars closed the door on the Bruins in the final four minute and held on for the win.
On the night the North Stars were outshot 35-28, but got the win in part because of Taryn Kotchorek’s solid 31-save performance in goal for the North Stars. Matt Lucas took the loss for Estevan.
Girard was named the first star after his two goal-one assist performance in the game.
The North Stars continue their southeast road swing on Saturday night in Weyburn.
