Fans of the Battlefords North Stars have come to expect a tight checking, close game between the North Stars and Nipawin Hawks throughout the previous seasons.
Tuesday night was much of the same, with one difference, the Hawks were ready to play and the North Stars came out flat.
The North Stars struggled in the first period, and fought the puck a bit all night. Despite a physical effort from most of their players and a strong performance in the second period they couldn't generate momentum against the Hawks.
"Nipawin came out like they always do and our guys came out flat," said coach Kevin Hasselberg in a post-game interview. "I have said it all along throughout the season, our job as a coaching staff is to make sure our players are prepared to play."
The North Stars entered Tuesday's Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League game with a 3-0-0-1 head-to-head record against the Hawks. Tuesday, Nipawin earned their first regulation win against the North Stars by a 4-1 score at the Civic Centre.
In the first period, Nipawin thought they started the scoring five minutes in, but instead of taking the 1-0 lead the goal was waved off and the Hawks were given a goaltender interference penalty.
The North Stars couldn't capitalize on the power play and eventually the Hawks did get on the scoreboard. Eli Lichtenwald picked up a rebound and moved the puck from his skate to his stick and the back of the net quickly for his first goal since rejoining the Hawks this season after playing pro hockey for the first half of the season.
The Hawks held the 1-0 lead after 20 minutes and outshot the North Stars 15-10.
After making 14 saves in the first period, North Stars goaltender Connor Creech was on the bench to start the second period, as he tweaked his groin once again and was taken out for precautionary reasons.
Casey Parker took over in the North Stars' net and played well making some big saves, but that unfortunately didn't result in a win.
"The players are confident with both our goalies. Casey, coming in cold the way he did, did exactly what we needed him to do, he gave us a chance to win," said Hasselberg.
The North Stars got on the board in the second period when Dillon Forbes came out of the penalty box and hit an unsuspecting Hawk off the puck. That created a two-on-one with Luke McColgan taking a shot and Kyle Hall putting the rebound in behind Davis Jones for his 13th goal of the season.
Before the end of the second period, Nipawin won an offensive zone face off and scored seconds later to retake the lead. Wheaton King picked the puck off the end boards and beat Parker.
In the third period, Tad Kozan sniped a shot over Parker's glove on a power play making it 3-1. Lichtenwald scored into the empty net to finish the scoring for the Hawks.
Parker made 17 saves in the game while Jones turned away 28 of 29 North Stars' shots.
The North Stars will now try to refocus for Friday's tilt with the Estevan Bruins.
"One thing this team has struggled with this season is playing teams below us in the standings," explained Hasselberg. "We are going to make sure we will be ready and what we seen tonight was an incomplete effort and we have to make up for that and be 60-minutes strong."
Also in the back of the minds of the players, coaches and fans is the junior hockey trade deadline.
Despite some speculation the North Stars are hinting they won't be making any more big moves this season.
"From day one, you have to address things and evaluate things moving forward. This team has built confidence in us as a staff. When you have that chemistry it is hard to keep it sometimes, one move can really distract that. If we do make any moves it better be something that is really thought out, because the chemistry in that room is phenomenal right now," said Hasselberg.
Hasselberg also mentioned that the team has recently made some roster moves, as affiliated players Travis Marit and Kendall Fransoo both signed with the North Stars in January. They will be with the team full time and the North Stars expect Kyle Schmidt to return to them from the Saskatoon Blades. Schmidt had three assists in four games with the North Stars before being recalled to the Western Hockey League. Schmidt suffered and injury while with the Blades and hasn't played in more than a month. When he is cleared to play he will join the North Stars and likely be affiliated with the Blades.
"That is three big additions that we feel are going to be real pivotal for us," explained Hasselberg.
The North Stars failed to pass the Hawks in the Bauer Conference standings and sit three points back of third place with a 19-15-1-1 record, as they are in the midst of the stretch run to the playoffs.
"When push comes to shove and you have a seven game series sand you're down by a goal in the sixth game and down 3-2 in the series, it is the team that loves each other that is going to get the job done. You bring in one player that doesn't have that respect in the dressing room and that is enough to take you out of the playoffs."
