It was a much better outing for the Battlefords North Stars against the La Ronge Ice Wolves on Friday night.
The North Stars beat La Ronge 3-2 in overtime on the road at Mel Hegland Uniplex, erasing a 2-0 deficit in the process. The game couldn’t have ended in more exciting fashion: the winning goal came with just one second left to go in overtime when Cody Spagrud scored his seventh of the season, Owen Lamb assisting, to avoid the shootout.
La Ronge had taken the lead in the first period on a power play goal by Antonio Di Paolo. There was no scoring in the second, but Flynn Perry’s first of the season 29 seconds into the third period gave La Ronge the 2-0 lead.
But at the 9:34 mark, Owen Lamb scored his 16th of the season from Elijah Loon-Stewardson to bring the North Stars within one. Exactly one minute later the North Stars tied it on Ryan Gil’s 12th of the season with the assist from Dayton Heino. Heino had been acquired by the North Stars at the Dec. 1 trade deadline from Neepawa of the MJHL, in exchange for Tanner Robin.
There was no further scoring in the third period, so the game went to overtime and was won on Spagrud’s goal with one second remaining.
Joel Grzybowski got the win in net for the North Stars with 25 saves on 27 shots; Jordan Frey of La Ronge stopped 47 out of 50 fired his way.
The next action for the North Stars is Tuesday at home as they host the Nipawin Hawks. The game is Teddy Bear Toss night at the Civic Centre.
