Despite dominating in the shots on goal department through most of the first 40 minutes Tuesday night, the Battlefords North Stars found themselves down 4-1 to the Humboldt Broncos early in the third period at the Civic Centre.
In the end, the North Stars were able to claw their way back as Layne Young completed a late rally for the defending Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League champions as they picked up a 5-4 win to improve to 2-1 in pre-season play.
“Our first two periods weren’t great as it seemed like we couldn’t get things going from shift to shift,” Young said. “When the third period started, we made a goal to get 20 shots on net so we were really focused on that.
“Once we were able to get some good chances on their net, I think that’s when things turned around in our favour.”
Young’s overtime heroics came on a breakaway play just 48 seconds into the extra frame as he sniped a shot past Broncos netminder Calum Humble after receiving a pass from defenceman Noah Form.
“I was coming down the wall and initially I wanted to burn past their guy to the wide side of the ice,” Young said. “I saw Elijah [Loon-Stewardson] was going to the net and their guy was giving me kind of a bad gap.
“So I went to the middle and I saw that the blocker side of the net was wide open, so that’s where I put it.”
Young had two assists in the North Stars third period rally as he helped to set up goals by his linemates Loon-Stewardson and MacGregor Sinclair.
Sinclair had an assist on Loon-Stewardson’s game-tying goal, while Connor McIntosh and Jayden Nachtegale also found the back of the net.
“I think what we did in the third period says a lot about the leadership we have in the dressing room,” Young said.
“We’re not a team that’s going to be average this year. We’re going for a championship once again.”
Tuesday saw another solid performance from Loon-Stewardson, who started the game with Jacob Tibbats and Michael Curran but was moved up during the course of the night to play with the North Stars’ top offensive contributors thus far in the pre-season.
The 18-year-old from Sioux Lookout, Ont. is looking to make the jump up to the Junior A ranks after playing for the Kenora Thistles and the Thunder Bay Kings midget programs over the last two seasons in Northern Ontario.
“I’m just trying to work my butt off to make this team,” Loon-Stewardson said. “It’s all about playing smart and hard out there like everyone in the dressing room is trying to do every night.
“At the end of day, if you come out and do your best, that’s all that really matters.”
Austin Prior got the start in goal for the North Stars and made 14 saves in 30 minutes of work, while Dawson Rodin earned the win after stopping 14 shots during the second half of the contest.
The Broncos, who were playing their first game of the pre-season Tuesday, were led on offence by Nathan Kartusch as he scored twice and had an assist.
Alex Morozoff and Zane Avery also found the back of the net in the loss.
“We had a younger lineup tonight and I think our guys learned a lot of valuable lessons,” Broncos head coach and general manager Darcy Haugan said. “You need to play hard all the time if you want to play at this level, and I think many of them found that out first hand.
“I thought we rebounded nicely after the first period to get the lead, but we made a few mistakes down the stretch that proved costly for us.”
Goaltender Isaac Labelle was stellar in the first half of the game for the Broncos as he made 28 saves.
Humble ended up being saddled with the loss as turned aside 13 shots in the final 30 minutes.
Both teams will square off again in Humboldt Wednesday, as they’ll take to the ice at the Elgar Petersen Arena at 7:30 p.m.
The North Stars will be back at the Civic Centre Friday for a 7:30 p.m. battle with the Kindersley Klippers in their final home game of the pre-season.
North Stars Roster Moves
Prior to Tuesday’s game, the North Stars parted ways with three players to put themselves at 39 skaters.
Forward Austin Hope, who spent last season with the Midwest Midget AA Red Wings, was sent down to the Junior B ranks.
Meanwhile, forward Ty Muench and goaltender Jake Davidson were reassigned to the Saskatchewan Midget AAA Hockey League’s Swift Current Legionnaires and the Moose Jaw Generals respectively.
Tuesday SJHL Recap
The Estevan Bruins turned in a dominating performance on home ice Tuesday as they cruised to an 11-0 triumph over the Manitoba Junior Hockey League’s Waywayseecappo Wolverines.
Zach Goberis led the way for the Bruins with a goal and four assists, while Michael McChesney had a hat trick and an assist in the victory.
TJ Irey and Andrew Warhoftig each had two goals and an assist for the host, who fired off 59 shots at the Wolverines net.
Kaelan Holt, Raihan Kheraj and Jack Kilroy also found the back of the net, while goaltenders Matt Lukacs and Tyler Szturm combined for a 19-save shutout.
In another interleague matchup in The Pas, Man., the Flin Flon Bombers routed the OCN Blizzard 7-0.
Scoring details from that game were not available.
The Weyburn Red Wings opened up their pre-season slate on a sour note at Crescent Point Place as the Notre Dame Hounds came away with a 2-1 victory.
Curtis Wiebe and Luke Mylymok scored for the Hounds, while Jamieson Ree prevented the Red Wings from being shutout with a late third period goal.
Finally in Nipawin, the Melfort Mustangs scored three goals in the first period as they picked up a 4-2 triumph over the host Nipawin Hawks.
Ashton Oakes, Carson Albrecht, Rock Ruschkowski and Pascal Valcourt all scored for the Mustangs, who led on offence by a two-assist night from Andrew Thompson.
The Hawks had goals from Josh Laferriere and Matthew Shipko, with Austin Mikesch assisting on both markers.
Two other games will take place Wednesday night in addition to the rematch between the North Stars and Broncos.
The Notre Dame Hounds will play a visit to the Melville Millionaires, while the Weyburn Red Wings will host the Waywayseecappo Wolverines.
Boutin dealt to Vees
A major trade took place in the SJHL Tuesday morning as the Melfort Mustangs sent forward Dakota Boutin to the British Columbia Hockey League’s Penticton Vees in a three-way deal that included the West Kelowna Warriors.
The 20-year-old Boutin, who is from Moosomin, put up 141 points in 150 games over the last three seasons for the Mustangs and is committed to play for the NCAA’s Northern Michigan Wildcats next year.
In the deal, the Mustangs acquired the rights to defenceman James Miller and the Warriors picked up blueliner Garrett Ewert.
Miller, who is 19 years old and is from Spruce Grove, Alta., had 18 points in 37 games for the Vees last year after being acquired from the Olds Grizzlys of the Alberta Junior Hockey League and is expected to suit up for the NCAA’s New Hampshire Wildcats later this fall.
Ewert, an 18-year-old from Kamloops, B.C., had 42 points for the Kamloops Storm in the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League this past season.
