The Battlefords Midget Stars were opportunists Tuesday, as they hosted the Saskatoon Blazers in Saskatchewan Midget AAA Hockey League action.
The Stars were outshot 13-6 in the first period, but Ryan Rewerts stood strong, as both teams had two power play chances in the first period.
In the second it looked to be more of the same, until rookie forward Keifer Hintz blocked a shot in his own end. The puck bounced out to the neutral zone and Hintz raced onto the puck. He moved in on the breakaway and scored glove side for his third of the season making it 1-0.
In the third period the two teams continued to frustrate each other and finally their emotions boiled over. Two players from the Stars, Josh Bly and Ashton Clark, and two from the Blazers dropped the gloves on the same stoppage of play.
Shortly after that, the Blazers continued to push the Stars and finally beat Ryan Rewerts halfway through the third period, when Nick Lenius tied the game.
Minutes later Stars' coach Martin Smith called a timeout to refocus the Stars. It appeared to work. Hintz forced a turnover in the neutral zone and fed a beautiful pass to Ryan Frehlick. Frehlick moved in on a breakaway and went off the crossbar and in to give the Stars the 2-1 lead. The goal was Frehlick's sixth of the season.
Two minutes later, Spencer Bast was in a race with a Blazers defender and took a big hit to separate the defender from the puck. Terrin Belosowsky picked up the loose puck, moved towards the net untouched and deked around Brett Lewchuk in the Blazers' net to make it a 3-1 game. The insurance goal was Belosowsky's seventh of the season.
In the final minute of the game, the Stars took a penalty for holding and the Blazers pulled their goalie, but the Stars penalty kill kept the Blazers to the outside and held on to win the game 3-1.
Rewerts earned his seventh win of the season making 32 saves.
The Stars improved to 12-7-2-1 on the season and are tied for fourth in the league with 27 points. They are 7-1 in their last eight games. The 12 wins this season already matches the Stars' best win total in the previous five seasons. In 2007-08 they were 12-31-1 and in 2009-10 the team was 12-30-2.
The Stars were scheduled to play in Saskatoon Thursday against the Contacts and Tuesday they will be in Prince Albert against the Mintos.
