By Nathan Kanter

Narrow victory keeps North Stars’ win streak alive

Nov 5, 2016 | 9:46 AM

The Battleford North Stars won their seventh straight game, though for a time it looked like they might suffer their first defeat in weeks.

A flurry of early goals from the North Stars and La Ronge Ice Wolves, who have just two wins this season, led to a deadlock heading into the third period on Friday, Nov. 4.

Forward Connor Logan sealed the deal for the North Stars in the shootout for a 4-3 win.

Regulation time goals came from Conor Jensen, his seventh point in nine games, Brett Horn, his fifth goal of the season, and Keaton Holinaty, his eighth of the year.

Horn and Holinaty have played on the second line with Logan almost all season and they certainly had some jump in the third.

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“They did extremely well again,” Johnson said. “Give those guys credit.”

The trio have combined for 16 points in the last four games.

Though their win streak was unhampered, North Stars associate coach Braeden Johnson said it wasn’t a perfect game.

“You’ve got to give credit to our guys for coming out with the win but tonight obviously wasn’t our best effort,” he said. “I think from a team standpoint we understand that.”

La Ronge goaltender Aaron MacKay was peppered with 56 shots in his sixth straight start since being acquired from the Whitecourt Wolverines of the AJHL.

Battlefords also gave up some quality scoring opportunities on Taryn Kotchorek, who nabbed his eighth win of the season.

“Tonight we were a little bit selfish in the plays that we made,” Johnson said. “When you want to take stuff upon yourself or try to go end to end like that, it makes it easier to defend. I think La Ronge did a good job in stopping us. Obviously we got lots of pucks to the net but again the score was close.

“Our gap control was a little off tonight and we lost a few key battles that ended up in the back of the net.”

Kotchorek registered 22 saves and had a particularly solid early game.

“He’s been outstanding for us,” Johnson said of Kotchorek. “He made those saves that we needed him to to keep us in the game. Early on he made those two saves and then we went down and scored. So we’ll take that from him. He instils a lot of confidence in us when he makes those saves … and in the shootout he allowed us to win.”

Kotchorek stopped all three shooters he faced in the shootout. He’s now a perfect 7-for-7 in the shootout.

Their next game should be a fierce showdown between the North Stars and Humboldt Broncos, with the Broncos looking to avenge their 5-1 loss on Oct. 21.

With Friday’s win, the North Stars have hopped over the Broncos for first place in the division since the Broncos had the night off. 

NorSask North Stars hockey gets underway at 7:15 p.m. on Saturday with the Ultra Print pre-game show on 93.3 the Rock.

Nathan Kanter is battlefordsNOW’s sports reporter and voice of the Battlefords North Stars. He can be reached at Nathan.kanter@jpbg.ca or tweet him @NathanKanter11