Three games in three different rinks in three days and three more wins for the Battlefords North Stars.
It was a successful road trip, as the North Stars were on a southern swing Friday, Saturday and Sunday earning two 5-4 shootout wins and a 4-1 victory, which puts them at 20 on the season and still first in the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League.
Friday in Weyburn, the North Stars scored three in the first and another in the third period, but allowed Weyburn to tie the game with three minutes left to force overtime.
Nothing was solved after the bonus five minutes of hockey and in the shootout Roger Tagoona scored for the North Stars. Graham Hildebrand stopped Jesse Ross, Coltyn Sanderson and Jack Kennelly to pick up his 11th win of the season.
Blake Tatchell led the offence with two goals, his 21st and 22nd of the season. Ryne Keller and Woody Klassen both scored their third goals of the season while Brody Luhning had two assists, Tanner Quinn, Zach MacLellan, Braeden Johnson and Tagoona had single helpers.
The next night in Estevan, Connor Creech was able to hold off the Bruins' attack for two periods, as his team built a 2-0 lead heading into the third period thanks to goals from Johnson (13) and Quinn (2).
Estevan scored once in the third period on a power play, but the North Stars doubled that with two of their own in the final 20 minutes for the 4-1 win. Quinn finished with two goals, while Brett Miller was the other goal scorer in the third period for the North Stars.
Tatchall had three assists, Samborski had two helpers and Keller, Johnson and Dillon Forbes had single assists.
Creech made 19 saves for his seventh win of the season.
The North Stars wrapped up the weekend in Wilcox against the Notre Dame Hounds. The game was tied 1-1 after the first, 3-3 after the second and 4-4 after the third and overtime and finally in the shootout, Tagoona and Tatchell scored to give the North Stars their fifth straight win and 14th in their last 16 games.
Keller and Kyle Hall had their fourth goals of the season, while Luhning scored twice giving him seven on the year. Luhning also chipped in with an assist, as did Tatchell, Samborski and Klassen. Miller had two assists Sunday.
Creech earned back-to-back starts and earned a 20 save win for the North Stars against the Hounds.
The North Stars were in Nipawin Tuesday and will be back on home ice Friday against the Hounds.
