The Battlefords North Stars ended their 12-day break with three games in three nights.
That is a long break for any hockey player, but for the newest North Star it was even longer. Justin Waskewitch had been waiting to be traded by the Nipawin Hawks since the start of the season and hadn't played a game until his first Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League action Thursday.
Waskewitch, like the rest of the North Stars, started strong against Notre Dame by out playing the Hounds at the Civic Centre, but after 20 minutes they trailed 2-0 on two goals that Connor Creech and his defence wouldn't be happy with.
The North Stars went on to score five unanswered goals in the final 40 minutes. Kyle Hall started the scoring early in the second when he netted his fourth of the season on a power play with a good snap shot inside the post. Cody Bird and Braeden Johnson drew the assists.
The North Stars still trailed in the third period, but Waskewitch factored in on three goals and the North Stars added a fourth to secure the win.
Waskewitch scored his first goal on beautiful cross-crease pass from Jake McMillen. Roger Tagoona also assisted on the power play marker.
Five minutes later, McMillen scored from Waskewitch.
Later on a power play, Brody Luhning scored his fifth of the season with a point shot. Matt Sheeran and Waskewitch had the assists.
Brandon Long scored the fifth goal for the North Stars on a power play with 10 seconds left for his second as a North Star. Hall and Blake Young drew the assists on the goal. Connor Creech made 21 saves for the win and just four in the third period.
The next morning the North Stars headed north to Flin Flon. The SJHL's best team showed why they are carrying that title early in the season, as they beat the North Stars 5-4.
Waskewitch had another three-point night, as he scored on a power play and assisted on two other power play goals in the third period. The North Stars' Josh Betinol scored his first goal of the campaign, as did Ryne Keller. Long also tallied for the North Stars in the loss.
Betinol and Keller kept their hot streaks going, as they were the only North Stars to score Saturday in La Ronge against the Ice Wolves. The North Stars fell 6-3, as Connor Creech started all three games on the weekend.
The North Stars out shot La Ronge 56-34 and the Flin Flon Bombers 46-28, but in the end, more shots didn't lead to more goals.
The North Stars also found themselves in four fights on the weekend, as Evan Ripley fought twice and already has three on the season. Dillon Forbes and Nick Fountain also received fighting major penalties.
The North Stars will fight to get back into the win column Wednesday, as they host the Humboldt Broncos. The Broncos were 5-2-1-0 heading into action Tuesday while the North Stars sit at 3-4-0-0.
The North Stars will also have to get back in the win column without defenceman Kyle Schmidt, who was recalled by the Western Hockey League's Saskatoon Blades before the weekend.
