The Battlefords North Stars (18-13-6-0) power play looked far and away better than it has over the course of the season, but two short-handed goals from the Humboldt Broncos (16-19-3-0) was the difference in a 4-3 Broncos win Tuesday.
The North Stars started the game with a strong shift in the offensive zone, but once the Broncos got control of the puck, they found the back of the net.
Matthew Kenney beat Spencer Trembley low blocker side as he was screened perfectly by another Broncos player to jump out to a 1-0 lead just 1:04 into the game. Colton Larocque and Anthony Kapelke picked up the assists.
Three and a half minutes later the North Stars answered.
After Jake Erickson made a nice move at the Broncos blue line to keep the puck in the zone and get around the attacking forward, he threw the puck towards the goal. Reed Delainey jumped in the rebound for his 15th goal of the year. Brady O’Sullivan also assisted on the goal.
After Stuart Symenuk was given a penalty for goaltender interference, the North Stars power play went to work.
They moved the puck around the zone with speed and accuracy not seen throughout the course of the season, and had a number of good chances as they were able to get shots through to the net.
Near the end of the power play, North Stars defenceman Michael Statchuk was able to keep one clearing attempt by the Broncos in the zone, before the second one got by him, sending the Broncos on a 2-on-1 rush.
Former Battlefords AAA Star Austin Duzan centred the puck for Logan Schatz, who beat Trembley high over the blocker to restore the Broncos one-goal lead.
Mid-way through the frame, Trembley juggled a dump-in by the Broncos after reaching out to catch the puck that bounced off his stick, was hit in the face with a knee of the incoming Broncos player and stayed down on the ice for several minutes.
After talking with North Stars trainer Sean Marcellus, Trembley regained his composure and remained in the game, receiving a hearty round of applause from the North Stars faithful.
In the final seconds of the period, another turnover cost the North Stars.
Statchuk was pressured by two Broncos forwards while on the power play, and his attempted pass to his defence partner was intercepted by Jarrett Fontaine, sending him on a breakaway.
Statchuk chased him all the way down the ice and dove to try and knock the puck off Fontaine’s stick, tripping him and awarding him a penalty shot.
With just three seconds left in the period, Fontaine made no mistake on the penalty shot, giving the Broncos their second short-handed goal of the period, and a 3-1 lead after one.
Trembley didn’t return for the second period, as Ryan Rewerts took over in goal.
Nearly six minutes into the third, Jake Calverley tried to send his team on a rush up the ice, but his long pass was intercepted at centre ice, and ended with Jon Brumwell scoring to make it 4-1. Kenney and Joshua Bergen assisted on the goal.
The North Stars power play continued to move the puck well, and they were finally rewarded when Nick Fountain jammed home a rebound with just over six minutes left in the game to cut the lead to 4-2. Delainey and Statchuk picked up the assists.
There was a scary moment just 40 seconds later when Broncos forward Schatz went face first into the boards trying to throw a hit on Statchuk behind the net.
Schatz lay on the ice moving his legs in obvious pain as the trainers from both teams attended to him, before the paramedics were called to bring the stretcher out onto the ice.
They cut Schatz’s jersey off before loading him up onto the stretcher, and out of the arena to the hospital.
Before play was stopped to attend to Schatz, Statchuk cut towards the front of the net, knocking Humboldt goalie Jack Romanuik to the ice.
Broncos captain Kapelke subsequently jumped him as the two dropped the gloves for a quick fight, which was more of a wrestling match before they fell to the ice.
Statchuk was given two minutes each for roughing and goalie interference, while Kapelke was given two for instigating, five for fighting and a game misconduct. The penalties gave the North Stars a minute-long power play after four minutes of four-on-four.
Once the power play began, Brenden Heinrich scored the second power-play goal of the night for the North Stars. He threw the puck towards the net and it deflected off a defender in front, before floating over the glove of Romanuik to cut the lead to just one with 29 seconds to go.
Despite controlling the puck in the offensive zone for the remainder of the game, the North Stars couldn’t capitalize, and dropped the 4-3 decision.
Battlefords now has a few days off before heading on the road for a three-in-three weekend down south. Friday they take on the Weyburn Red Wings (15-17-6-2) before heading to Carnduff for Cameco’s Hockey Day in Saskatchewan, taking on the Notre Dame Hounds (24-11-1-2) at the Carnduff Memorial Arena. The trip wraps up in Estevan Sunday against the Bruins (14-19-1-5.)
