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North Stars win pair on road

After splitting a pair of games to the Flin Flon Bombers last weekend, the Battlefords North Stars returned to their winning ways as they continued their travels around the province.
Battlefords North Stars logo

After splitting a pair of games to the Flin Flon Bombers last weekend, the Battlefords North Stars returned to their winning ways as they continued their travels around the province.

The defending Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League champions cruised to an 8-2 over the host Yorkton Terriers Friday and followed that up with a 4-1 win over the Melville Millionaires in Balcarres Saturday, in a game that was held in conjunction with Hockey Day in Saskatchewan.

“There were a couple of big positives for us from the weekend,” North Stars head coach and general manager Brandon Heck said. “We scored a lot of goals in the first game against Yorkton and we were able to lock things down really well against Melville to shut down their offence.

“It was a massive difference from how we played in our own end against the Terriers. The guys bought into what we were telling them to do and they were focused on what was best for the team and not what was best for themselves.”

North Stars captain Layne Young scored twice Saturday, while Keith Anderson and Matthias Urbanski also found the back of the net.

Dayton Heino had the lone goal for the 13-26-0-2 Millionaires, who received a 42-save performance from netminder Colby Entz.

Young had three assists in Friday’s dominant performance against the Terriers, which saw Urbanski score twice and Parker Smyth have a goal and two assists.

Connor McIntosh, Troy Gerein, Cole Johnson, MacGregor Sinclair and Blake Fennig also scored in the eight-goal outburst, which was the highest offensive output for the team away from home since an 8-6 thriller over the Estevan Bruins during the SJHL showcase in Saskatoon on Sept. 25, 2017.

The most goals that the North Stars have scored this season came in a 10-2 romp over the La Ronge Ice Wolves at the Civic Centre on Nov. 28, 2017.

“I think everyone’s clicking together a little bit more after the trade deadline, plus we moved the puck around well and got some good looks on offence,” Heck said. “We traded chances with Yorkton in that game, so we were able to get some odd-man rushes and some extra time and space to work with.”

The Terriers, who have an 8-29-2-1 record and are nine points back of the Millionaires for the 10th and final playoff spot in the SJHL, got their goals Slater Strong and Drew Coughlin.

Ben Laidlaw made 25 saves before being pulled in the third period after allowing seven goals.

Ladilaw was replaced in the Terriers net by Joe Marcoullier, who stopped five of the six shots he faced in the final 16 minutes of action.

Joel Grzybowski got the start in both games for the North Stars and improved his record to 10-0 and his goal against average to a stellar 1.50 mark after turning aside 55 shots over the weekend.

He’ll be in goal for their next two road contests on Tuesday against the Kindersley Klippers and Wednesday against the Melfort Mustangs as Taryn Kotchorek received a three-game suspension for a gross misconduct penalty he received during a late-game fracas against the Terriers Friday.

Kotchorek is eligible to return to the lineup Friday night, when the North Stars return to the Civic Centre to take on the league leading Nipawin Hawks before travelling to Spiritwood Saturday to face the Ice Wolves

Heading into this week’s set of games, the Canalta Cup title holders have a 30-6-2-0 record and have a 10 point lead over the Notre Dame Hounds for first place in the Global Ag Risk Solutions Division.

They are also 11 points ahead of the Humboldt Broncos and have four games in hand over their divisional rivals.

The North Stars also have four games in hand on the Hawks, who they trail by seven points in the overall standings.