After losing out in the 2011-12 Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League playoffs to the Humboldt Broncos, the Battlefords North Stars were finally back in action at the Civic Centre and not just against teammates.
The Melfort Mustangs were in North Battleford Saturday for the second part of a home-and-home exhibition series and the first home game of the new season.
After falling on the road the night before, the North Stars won their first exhibition game in front of their fans.
The North Stars were still carrying more than 35 players heading into the weekend meaning players had to impress to stick around. Coach Kevin Hasselberg planned to reduce the roster to something more workable for the remainder of the pre-season.
The North Stars drew first blood Saturday, as there was a delayed penalty coming up when Brandon Long wristed a shot by Melfort's Tyrell King off the rush. Melfort quickly responded, as a point shot was deflected under Connor Creech in the North Stars' net.
The first period ended 1-1 and by the half-way point of the second period, when the teams made goaltending changes, the score remained the same. The North Stars were outshooting Melfort 23-14 when the new goaltenders entered the game. Following the goaltending changes, Melfort earned the lead after capitalizing on a North Star turnover. Godric Tham scored five-hole on Blair Mahon, who replaced Creech.
Shortly after the Mustangs went in front, the North Stars tied the game. This time it was the North Stars capitalizing on a turnover by a defenceman. Cody Bird moved in on a partial breakaway and deked to his backhand to beat Melfort's Luke Grassl.
The North Stars took the lead with less than two minutes to play in the second period, as Nick Fountain jumped on a fortunate bounce off the end boards and jammed the puck into Melfort's net.
The North Stars added another goal before the intermission, as Zak Kindya snuck in from the blue-line and one-timed a Ben Greenaway pass by Grassl just a second before the buzzer sounded.
In the third period, on another delayed penalty, the North Stars increased their lead as veterans Roger Tagoona and Brody Luhning hooked up. Luhning centred the puck for Tagoona and he scored with a wrist shot making it 5-2.
Later in the third period, an unfortunate play happened right in front of the penalty box that sent Greenaway to the dressing room in pain. Greenaway had his stick snap when trying to take a shot from the point. As he and Mark Foster raced for the loose puck they were tangled up and Greenaway fell awkwardly into the boards feet first. He was helped off the ice while Foster was issued a major for checking from behind.
After several minutes of power play time for the North Stars, it was Melfort scoring the next goal. Brandon Sloan won a foot race and beat Mahon glove side to make it a 5-3 game.
The North Stars would add another goal on a power play later in the third period. Kyle Litchenwald, who played 17 regular season games in the Saskatchewan Prairie Hockey League with Maymont last year, circled in the Melfort zone and fired a slapshot that hit a Mustangs' defender and went into the net.
The score ended 6-3 in favour of the home team, but not before some rough stuff in the final seconds. First Fountain was jumped off a faceoff in the Mustangs' zone. Later, after another faceoff in the Melfort zone, and after the final buzzer, Kyler Wilkinson ended up fighting Avery Van Blaricom. The referee had his brawl pad out taking down numbers and notes while the linesman tired to separate the players.
When all was said and done the North Stars improved to 1-2 in exhibition action, but more importantly the roster has been reduced to 30 players.
Remaining with the team are four goalies, nine defenceman and 18 forwards. Unfortunately, of the players who were cut, a handful were locals and former Midget Stars in Brody Tatchell, Reece Fenrich, Jordaan Braun, Eric Pfiefer and Mahon.
Along with the 10 returning North Stars, the other players remaining with the team include Kindya, Bird, Wilkinson, Grayden Turner, Evan Ripley and Spencer Gosselin on defence, Casey Parker, Damian McKinnion and Michael Gudmanson in goal and Bryden Serafini, Scott McCluskey, Dylan Sakatch, Carter Danczak, Jake McMillen, Brandon Long, Blake Young, Austin Evans, Josh Betinol, Litchenwald, Fountain and Greenaway.
The North Stars next exhibition game is Saturday at the Civic Centre against the Humboldt Broncos.
