The Battlefords North Stars split two games in a weekend road trip against the Nipawin Hawks and the Flin Flon Bombers.
The Hawks scored three unanswered goals Friday night to down the North Stars 3-1 at Centennial Arena in Nipawin.
The North Stars opened the scoring 3:33 into the first period. Michael Statchuk scored his third goal of the year, beating Hawks goaltender Joe O'Brien. Reed Delainey picked up an assist on the goal.
Less than a minute later, Nipawin tied the game. Garrett Dunlop tallied his sixth goal of the season when he put the puck past North Stars netminder Ryan Rewerts 4:09 into the period.
Midway through the second period, the Hawks took the lead. Defenceman Carter Doerkson got his first of the year with 7:34 to play in the frame.
Nipawin extended their lead to two early in the third period on the power play. Carter Coben found the back of the net for the second time this year 2:11 into the frame to put the Hawks up 3-1. The Hawks outshot the North Stars 14-6 in the third period.
Rewerts made 43 saves en route to his first loss of the season for the North Stars. O'Brien stopped 31 shots to pick up his fifth win of the year.
The North Stars then travelled to Flin Flon for a date with the Bombers in Whitney Arena. Nick Fountain scored the game-winning goal as the North Stars edged the Bombers 4-3 in overtime.
Matthew Saharchuk struck first on the power play for the North Stars 6:15 into the opening period. Delainey and Jake McMillen registered assists on Saharkchuk's fifth goal of the year.
Saharchuk struck again less than three minutes later. His second goal of the game beat Bombers goaltender Simon Hofley with an assist from Brady O'Sullivan.
The Bombers answered back with two goals in the second period. First, Evan Akkerman tallied his second goal of the season, beating North Stars goalie Spencer Tremblay 3:56 into the frame. Midway through the second, Dean Allison found the back of the net for the fourth time this year to tie the game at two.
In the third, Flin Flon took their first lead of the game on the power play. Danys Chartrand scored his first of the season to give the Bombers a 3-2 lead with 4:22 left to play.
The North Stars tied the game less than two minutes later. McMillen's unassisted goal with 2:54 to play was his first of the season, tying the game at three.
Fountain's second goal of the year ended the game with 2:52 left in overtime. Jake Erickson and Brenden Heinrich picked up assists on the game-winning goal.
Tremblay stopped 41 of 44 shots fired his way to pick up his fourth win of the year. Simon was saddled with his third loss of the year after a 23-save performance.
The North Stars (5-2-2-0) are in action again Tuesday night at the Civic Centre when they take on the La Ronge Ice Wolves. Puck drop is 7:30 p.m.
