The Battlefords North Stars kept their hopes of winning the Kramer Division alive with three road wins in three nights last weekend. Battlefords sit two points behind the Kindersley Klippers in the division standings.
The North Stars opened the weekend Friday night with a 4-1 over the Bruins in Estevan.
Battlefords got on the board 53 seconds into the first period. Luke McColgan scored his eleventh goal of the season when he beat Bruins goaltender Matt Gibney. The Bruins tied the game 6:36 into the game. Brady Anderson beat North Stars goaltender Michael Gudmandson for his first career SJHL goal. Midway through the first, the North Stars regained the lead. Cameron Blair got his 16th goal of the year with 8:14 remaining in the period.
It was an uneventful second period as neither team scored. The North Stars edged the Bruins in shots 6-5 in the period.
In the third, the North Stars extended their lead to two 9:31 into the period. Blake Young beat Gibney for his 17th goal of the campaign to give Battlefords a 3-1 lead. Kyle Schmidt added a goal with 44 seconds left to seal the game.
Gudmandson stopped 18 shots for his 17th win for the North Stars. Gibney made 30 saves in the loss.
Battlefords continued the weekend with another 4-1 victory Saturday night, this time against the Red Wings in Weyburn.
Gudmandson and Red Wings goaltender Rylan Parenteau stopped all of the shots fired their way in the first period. Gudmandson made 11 saves, while Parenteau stopped 10 shots.
The North Stars struck first five minutes into the second period. Ryne Keller got his 11th goal when he beat Parenteau. Blair extended the lead with his 17th goal on the power play with 8:08 remaining in the period. Weyburn cut into the lead on a power play of their own with 7:39 left. Colton Laroque beat Gudmandson to make it a 2-1 game heading into the second intermission.
Midway through the third, the North Stars regained their two-goal lead. Taylor Reich found the back of the net 10:22 into the final frame, giving Battlefords a 3-1 lead. McColgan added an empty net goal with 2:23 left to play.
Gudmandson made 27 saves for his 18th win this season. Parenteau stopped 32 shots in the loss for Weyburn.
Reed Delainey led the way Sunday afternoon with two goals as the North Stars completed their weekend sweep with a 3-0 shutout against the Notre Dame Hounds.
Delainey opened the scoring 13 minutes into the game on the power play. He beat Hounds goaltender Alexi Thibaudeau for his eighth of the season with assists from Jake McMillen and Jack Petrino.
In the second, the North Stars struck again on the power play. With Sam Aulie in the penalty box for hooking, Blair found the back of the net for the third time on the weekend 6:03 into the period.
The Hounds pressed in the third, but North Stars goaltender Darren Martin was up to the challenge. He stopped all 16 shots faced in the period to preserve the shutout. Delainey scored his second of the game into an empty net with 11 seconds left.
Martin stopped all 35 shots faced to pick up his first shutout of the season. Thibaudeau made 21 saves in the loss.
The North Stars (34-17-0-3) finish the season this weekend with an important home-and-home series with Kindersley. Battlefords host the Klippers Friday night at the Civic Centre. Puck drop is 7:30 p.m. The North Stars travel to Kindersley Saturday night to finish off the season.
