Thanks to some stellar play as of late, the Battlefords North Stars are locked in a tight battle for first place in the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League.
Following an 8-2 rout of the Yorkton Terriers Friday and a 2-1 triumph over the Notre Dame Hounds Saturday at the Civic Centre, the North Stars have rattled off six straight victories and are just one point back of the Estevan Bruins and Humboldt Broncos for the top spot in the 12-team loop.
Despite the team’s success, head coach and general manager Nate Bedford is keeping everything in perspective with just one month gone in the 2016-17 campaign.
“This team is used to winning under (former head coach and general manager) Kevin (Hasselberg), so they know what to expect,” Bedford said.
“We don’t try to talk about the win streak too much. We treat every game with a fresh slate and go at it period by period. Our main focus right now is to have much better starts instead of coming out of the gates slow and finishing strong.”
Following back-to-back eight-goal outbursts on home ice, Saturday’s game against the Hounds was a much tighter affair.
Captain Kendall Fransoo was the difference maker for the North Stars, as he tied the game up in the second period with a power play goal and moved the home side out front for good midway through the final frame.
“Just when you thought you’ve seen everything from him, he goes out and steps things up,” Bedford said.
“He finds a way to elevate his game at the most important times and he did with two seeing-eye shots.”
Joel Grzybowski continued his stellar rookie season for the North Stars in goal, as he made 21 saves to earn his seventh win of the year.
The Hounds got their lone goal from captain Craig Berube, while Jordan Greenfield-Flemon made 41 saves in a losing effort.
“We had our chances,” Hounds head coach Clint Mylymok said.
“We were up 1-0 with (Ben) Duperreault on a breakaway, but their goalie made a great save. We didn’t do anything on the power play as well, and I think that really would have frustrated them if we were able to get up by a pair of goals at that point.”
Friday’s dominant performance was highlighted by the first two SJHL goals for forward Jayden Nachtegaele and defenceman Conor Jensen.
It had been a long time coming for the Bloomington, Minn. product in his quest to find the back of the net, as his goal on Friday came in his 52nd career SJHL game.
“I just tried to shoot it on net and it ended up going in,” Jensen said. “I was pretty fired up after that one.”
Jensen also got his first Gordie Howe hat-trick Friday as he got an assist on Keaton Holinaty’s goal in the second period and followed that up with a fight against Terriers forward Quinton Hobbs later in the frame.
“That wasn’t really part of the plan, but you have to do what you can to stick up for your teammates at times,” Jensen said.
Nachtegaele, who is the younger cousin of North Stars assistant captain Logan, didn’t have to wait quite as long as Jensen for his first career goal as the North Battleford native accomplished the feat in his 10th career game.
“I’ve been feeling good out there the last few times I’ve been in the lineup and I was getting some good ice time, so I felt like my chance was going to come,” Nachtegaele said. “It’s more of a relief than anything to get that out of the way.”
Holinaty had two goals and an assist in Friday’s victory while Connor Logan scored a goal and dished out two helpers.
Levi Kleiboer, Coby Downs and Owen Lamb also found the back of the net in the win.
“We’ve been playing strong on defence and that allows us to have good opportunities on offence,” Nachtegaele said. “When you’re generating nearly 50 shots on goal, it’s hard for a goaltender to stop that many shots.”
Cole Keenleyside and Regan Seiferling scored for the Terriers, who gave up eight goals a night later in an 8-0 setback to the Kindersley Klippers.
“We’re not going to make any excuses, we weren’t very good tonight,” Terriers head coach Casey O’Brien said.
“We made mistakes out there and I think the North Stars came in with a chip on their shoulders after we beat them in our home rink about a month ago.”
The North Stars, who sit in second place in the Finning Division with a 14-5-0-0 record, will be back in action Friday as they will pay a visit to the La Ronge Ice Wolves.
They will return to the Civic Centre a night later for a massive contest with the Broncos.
