Mitch Berg scored the game-winning goal Wednesday when the Battlefords North Stars faced off against the Melfort Mustangs. Fortunately for the Battlefords they picked him up in a trade last week.
Berg helped the North Stars to a 3-2 win over his former team in Melfort.
The Mustangs struck first with a power play goal in the first period, as former North Stars' prospect Nathan Zimbaluk had an assist on the game's first goal and the only one of the first period.
In the second, the North Stars ran into some penalty trouble, as Ryne Keller took a blow to the head penalty and sat for 12 minutes while Brett Miller dropped the gloves with Mitch Berg's brother Carter. The North Stars also took four other minor penalties in the period, but the North Stars scored a power play goal in the second to tie the game. Woody Klassen scored from Brody Luhning and Jordan Ethier.
Melfort took the lead late in the third period, this time former North Star Jake Daughtry had an assist on the Melfort goal.
With 1:04 remaining on the clock, and the goalie pulled, Klassen scored his second power play goal of the night and 11th goal of the season from Kyle Hall and Ethier.
Then with 18 seconds left, Berg scored his eighth of the season and first as a North Star from Blake Tatchell and Braedan Johnson to give the North Stars the win.
With the win, the North Stars stay perfect against Melfort this season with a 5-0 record and improve to 32-11-0-2 this season, three points behind Humboldt for the Bauer Conference lead. Graham Hildebrand made 19 saves for his 18th win. His counterpart, Patrick Johnson faced 43 shots in the Melfort net.
Tuesday, Connor Creech was in net for the North Stars and helped the team to a 4-1 win over La Ronge, who scored just one goal in three games at the Civic Centre this season. Like Berg helped the North Stars beat his old team Wednesday, Ethier did that Tuesday as he had two goals and an assist against La Ronge, whom he started the season with.
The Ice Wolves struck first, as Zac Ashdown and Graham Smerek moved the puck back-and-forth on a two-on-one and beat a helpless Creech.
The North Stars' offence got going on the power play later in the first period, as Aaron Enns took four minutes in the box after holding and roughing penalties. First, Ethier jumped on rebound and beat Alex Rajotte. Klassen and Miller had the assists on the goal. A minute later, and still on the power play, Tatchell streaked down the right wing, deked the defenceman and fired the puck over Rajotte's glove for his 34th goal of the season. Ethier and Klassen had the assists on what would hold up as the game-winning goal.
There was no scoring in the second period and in the third, Miller added his 12th of the season from Tatchell. Etheir scored his 13th of the season to seal the victory. Keller and Roger Tagoona had the assists on Ethier's empty net goal.
Creech made 27 saves 13th win of the season.
The North Stars have hit a recent injury bug as of late, as Tuesday Tanner Schwab and Tim Rollins were out of the lineup and Dillon Forbes, a defenceman moved to forward for the second time this season.
Forbes played forward once again Wednesday, as Wakelin, who left Tuesday's game was out of the lineup. Fortunately Rollins was back in the North Stars' lineup Wednesday. The team has five days between games to heal the bumps and bruises, as their next action is Tuesday at home to Melville.
