The North Stars were given many chances to dominate on Friday against the Kindersley Klippers, and they took advantage of the opportunities.
The Klippers’ Jordan Funk got a cross-checking penalty not even a minute into the game, and after the North Stars a missed wide-open net, got another powerplay halfway through the first. The Klippers’ penalty killing unit held the North Stars off until the Klippers’ Josh Patrician got a boarding call. On the powerplay, the North Stars’ Layne Young scored on a one-timer.
Halfway through the second, Owen Lamb opened the second period scoring with assists from Blake Fennig and Connor McIntosh, who earned his second assist of the game. The Klippers couldn’t stay out of the box and Wilkie’s Troy Gerein scored the North Stars’ third goal, sneaking a shot past Vince Benedetto’s glove side, followed shortly by Layne Young scoring his second of the game.
The North Stars led 4-0 after the second period, and it didn’t take long before they got another powerplay, as defenseman Matthias Urbanski was highsticked and the Klippers had to kill a four-minute penalty. Play was chippy in the third period. Third period goals were by Jacob Tibbatts, Blake Fennig and Jayden Nachtegaele.
The Klippers netted a goal halfway through the third to prevent the shutout.
North Stars goaltending was solid, as both Taryn Kochorek and Austin Prior shared duties and combined to save 26 shots.
The North Stars finished the game with 40 shots, and two scraps.
The North Stars’ first game of the season will be Friday, Sept. 15 at the West Central Events Centre in Kindersley, and the same teams will match up again next Saturday at the Civic Centre for the North Stars’ home opener.
