NORTH BATTLEFORD - The Battlefords North Stars scored early and often as they ran the La Ronge Ice Wolves out of the Access Communications Centre on Saturday night.
The North Stars racked up a dominating 10-3 win, moving their record to 7-3-1 to stay ahead of Humboldt in the Global Ag Risk Futures Division.
This was the second contest of the season between the two teams, and marked another faceoff between the Doell brothers: Nolan Doell of La Ronge and Holden Doell of the Battlefords. But any potential for drama was doused quickly. The North Stars got six unassisted goals to begin the game, as well as a hat trick by Dace Prymak en route to the victory.
This game marked a complete reversal in fortunes for the North Stars, after they dropped the previous contest by an 8-3 score on Sept. 30 at Mel Hegland UniPlex. In that game, it was a five-goal third period eruption that lifted La Ronge to victory. This time, it was the North Stars who erupted for five goals in the first period and they never looked back.
The North Stars' Tanner Gold got things started just 57 seconds into the game to make it 1-0. Ryland McNinch and Dylan Esau got the assists.
Then, the Ice Wolves got a power play opportunity as the North Stars’ Zane Florence received a double minor for kneeing. That opportunity turned to dust, though, at the 5:33 mark as Prymak got a shorthanded goal from Steven Kesslering for his first of the night, putting the North Stars up by two.
At 7:44, Colby Bear’s fourth goal of the season made it 3-0 with Jake Southgate and Holden Doell each notching their eighth assists.
That goal brought out the hook for Ice Wolves goalie Dawson Smith, with Alex Bell going the rest of the way for La Ronge.
Then came two goals from K.T. Walters, at 14:04 and then again at the 18:40 mark on the power play. For Walters it was his fourth and fifth goals of the season.
After just 20 minutes, the game was already out of reach for La Ronge, who were outshot by the home team 19-10 after one.
Just like in the first, it took only 57 seconds in the second period for the North Stars to score again. Jake Southgate scored his seventh of the season on the power play, with Prymak and Holden Doell getting the assists to make the score 6-0.
The scoring drought ended for La Ronge shortly after Walters was assessed a hooking penalty. The Ice Wolves scored a power play goal at 3:42 from Nate Looft, with the assist to Brandon Della Paolera.
But the North Stars responded just nine seconds later as Bear got his second of the night, restoring the six goal margin.
Florence made it 8-1 North Stars with his second of the season at the 8:03 mark, with Kesslering and Emmett Wurst getting assists. That would be it for the second period scoring. Shots in the period were even at 13 apiece for both teams.
In the third period, Nolan Doell got one back for the Ice Wolves, with Aaron Greyeyes and Parker Layton getting assists on the power play goal at
Then it was the Zane Prymak show as he responded with his second, and then his third goal of the game for the hat trick as the game wound down.
One late La Ronge goal from Daxton Lang wrapped up a 10-3 game. Final shots were 46-32 North Stars with Ulrik Roussel getting the win in net for the home team.
Next up for the North Stars is a road game in Melville next Friday, Oct. 15. La Ronge hits the road for Humboldt on Wednesday and Estevan on Thursday.
