The Battlefords North Stars haven't won in regulation since Nov. 5, but on the other hand they have lost in regulation just once their last 12 games.
The North Stars hosted Yorkton Thursday and Melville Saturday, as they looked to get back in the win column against the third and fourth place team from the Sherwood Conference.
Both games were tied after regulation meaning the North Stars earned at least a single point, but that would be all they got against Yorkton. The North Stars did earn both points Saturday against the Millionaires with an overtime victory.
Thursday, Woody Klassen scored his first goal since returning to the North Stars with Robbie Newton drawing the assist.
Ryley Stefanyshyn had a big game for Yorkton, scoring his first of two goals Thursday making it a 1-1 tie after the first.
In the second, The North Stars took the lead with Braeden Johnson scoring his eighth of the season from Blake Tatchell early in the first and Brett Miller scoring his ninth of the season from Curtis Toneff nearly 10 minutes later.
The North Stars held a 3-2 lead going into the third period, but some special team trouble for the home team saw that lead evaporate. Stefanyshyn scored short-handed and Ryon Sookro scored his second of the game on the power play to put the Terriers up 4-3.
Klassen tied the game with a good shot on the power play with six minutes left in the third and that was how the game would end after 60 minutes.
In overtime, the North Stars had another power play opportunity, but couldn't beat Dawson MacAuley, who made 33 saves in 65 minutes.
Graham Hildebrand matched him shot for shot, making 26 saves and forcing a shootout.
The first five shooters, including North Stars Tatchell, Tanner Schwab and Brody Luhning were all stopped. At the other end, Hildebrand turned away Tyler Giebel and Stefanyshyn, but couldn't stop Sookro and the game ended 5-4.
Two nights later, the North Stars had Connor Creech in net and again 60 minutes of regulation time wasn't enough to settle a winner.
Tatchell had a big game for the North Stars earning his third hat trick of the season. He started the scoring with his eighth of the season from Luhning short-handed.
Later in the first, he scored an even-strength goal from Boyd Wakelin and Johnson.
Melville responded with four seconds remaining in the first, as Allen Kilback beat Creech.
Less than a minute into the second, Ian McNulty scored to tie the game for Melville.
After Colin Mospanchuk put the Millionaires in front for the first time, Tatchell completed his natural hat trick tying the game with his 20th of the season. Johnson and Dillon Forbes had the assists on the tying goal, which was scored while playing four-on-four and moved Tatchell into a tie on top of the SJHL's leader board in goals with Calder Neufeld of Estevan.
In the third period, it was another quick goal for Melville, as Jesse Mireau put the visitors in front again.
The North Stars pushed for the tie on a power play with just over two minutes to play. Johnson scored his ninth of the season from Luhning to tie the game and force overtime.
Boyd Wakelin scored his second game-winning goal and sixth of the season to cap off the comeback for the North Stars.
The North Stars' home stand of 10 of 11 in nearly a month finished up Tuesday, with the Kindersley Klippers in the Battlefords.
The North Stars will now prepare to play four road games in five nights, on a trip through Weyburn, Estevan, Notre Dame and Nipawin before being back on home ice Nov. 25 against the Notre Dame Hounds.
The North Stars also made some roster moves last week, as forward Jared Kambeitz and defenceman Dallas Jorgensen were released from the roster. Kambeitz had an option to continue to play in the SJHL with another organization, but chose to return home and play junior B. Jorgensen can now be found on the Winkler Flyers' roster, which is coached and managed by former North Stars coach Ken Pearson. Jorgensen had one assist in 19 games while Kambeitz had three goals and three assists in 13 games with the North Stars this season.
