For the first time since early March, the Battlefords North Stars are back in action on home ice.
In their first pre-season game of the 2020-21 Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League season, the North Stars took on the Kindersley Klippers at what is the newly-renamed Access Communications Centre.
The game was played under the unusual circumstances of the COVID-19 pandemic, with only 150 fans allowed into the building as spectators — a “sellout”.
The fact that the Klippers were the preseason opponent was also unusual, as past preseasons have seen the North Stars take on opponents from the Alberta Junior Hockey League. Friday’s game marked the first of four preseason games featuring the two longtime rivals.
It was also a much different lineup of North Stars compared to last season, with many new faces. Many of the stars of last year’s first-place team had moved on due to graduation, but a number of familiar names were in the lineup including Jaxon Steele, Logan Spence, Dylan Esau, Steven Kesslering, Walter Somers, Timon Prexler and others. Goaltenders Austin Schwab and Kristian Lyon were back with the team and it was Schwab who got the start in this game.
Klippers 5 North Stars 2
Unfortunately for the home fans, it was the Klippers who scored first. Ethan King scored from Logan Linklater at 10:18 to make it 1-0 Kindersley, and then Max Kathol scored from Matthew Mazzocchi to make it 2-0 at 15:52. Shots on goal favoured Kindersley through one period 8-6.
In period two the Klippers made it 3-0 on a unassisted goal by King at 3:46, his second of the game.
The North Stars finally got on the scoreboard when Dylan Esau scored from Carson Reagan and Timon Prexler at 4:42.
But the Klippers answered back midway through the period when Noah Lindsay scored shorthanded from Jack Michell at the 10:11 mark to restore the three goal lead.
Shots were 20-19 for the North Stars through two.
Midway through the third period the North Stars got one back again as Tanner Klimpke scored from Ryland McNinch to make it 4-2.
Matthew Mazzocchi’s goal, from Ethan Grabowski and Lindsay, made it 5-2 Klippers with 2:49 left, and that would be the final score. Final shots faored the Klippers 34-30.
Klippers 4 North Stars 1
The two teams returned to action Saturday night at West Central Events Centre in Kindersley, where the Klippers won again 4-1. The Klippers got goals from Aidan Bangs and Mazzocchi in the first period and from Ethan Ironside and Ethan King in the second.
Steven Kesslering got the lone goal for the North Stars.
The North Stars are back home on Thursday night against the Klippers.
