With many fresh faces in the lineup for both teams Sunday at the Civic Centre in North Battleford, the Saskatoon Contacts skated to a 4-2 win over the Battlefords Midget Stars.
The Stars dressed just three veterans from last season's roster in their first pre-season game of the 2012-13 campaign.
The two teams were held scoreless through the first period. In the second, the Contacts came out with some jump and scored the first goal on Thomas Spence. Spence surrendered another second period goal while Kihisis Derocher scored for the Stars in the second period. The Stars outshot the Contacts 17-13 in the second period, but trailed 2-1.
Josh Odelein assisted on Derocher's goal, as Derocher centred the puck from behind the goal-line and it redirected off a Contacts' defender and into the net.
In the third period, the Contacts outscored the Stars 2-1 once again, with the final goal coming in the final seconds with an empty net.
Rylan Toth was in net for the Stars in the second half and allowed one goal on 21 shots while Spence surrendered two goals on 22 shots.
Brock Hamm faced 40 shots in the Contacts' net.
Josh Bly, who was the Stars' player of the game, scored in the third period with a nice wrist shot to the top corner. Kent Walchuk and Connor Sych earned the assists on the goal.
The Stars will continue their pre-season play Friday in Saskatoon against the Blazers.
