By Martin Martinson

Stars shine at home

Stars score lucky seven against Terriers

Feb 9, 2019 | 9:11 AM

The Battlefords North Stars gave their fans a lot to cheer about Friday, as the team defeated the Yorkton Terriers 7-4 in their lone game at the Civic Centre this month.

It took just 27 seconds into the first period for one of the major turning points of the contest to take place. After Yorkton entered the attacking zone and set up shop, it was Terriers’ captain Brendan Mark on a shot from the blue line, that opened the scoring – or so it seemed.

The goal was waved off, with the official sighting goaltender interference on the play, not only nullifying the Terriers’ opening tally but putting the Stars on the power play, where the team broke through with a goal of their own. Quintin Loon-Stewardson was the man to score on the North Stars’ first power play chance, potting his 10th goal of the season to make it 1-0 Stars.

After about five minutes had passed, the Terriers scored their first of two goals coming back-to-back, thanks to Chantz Petruic’s hot hand, as the forward tallied his first of the game and 25th of the season. Following up Petruic’s lead, sophomore Cody Bruchkowski also cashed in, reversing the lead entirely to a 2-1 Yorkton advantage on his 20th of the campaign. But the Stars were not done.

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Just 20 seconds after Bruchkowski’s goal, with the ink not yet dry on the scorecard entry, Elijah Loon-Stewardson reknotted the score, posting his 13th of the season prior to the first intermission.

In the second, the Stars turned to their top line, as MacGregor Sinclair led off the second frame, potting his team-high 23rd of the season from Braydon Buziak, before then returning the favour and setting up Buziak for a goal of his own just four minutes later.

At 4-2, the Terriers continued to stick around, thanks to a continued scoring contribution from their first line, with each of Petruic and Bruchkowski picking up helpers on Colby Brandt’s 19th of the year, and third in his last two games.

The Battlefords North Stars wore special pink and black jerseys Friday to help raise awareness to stop bullying. (Martin Martinson/battlefordsNOW Staff

In the third, the Stars came flying out of gate, scoring an insurance marker off the blade of defenseman Seth Summers just 15 seconds into the frame to make it 5-3 Stars. For Summers, the goal served as his first of the season and first-ever SJHL tally.

No doubt feeding off the energy in the building, just five-and-a-half minutes later, Elijah Loon-Stewardson picked up his second of the night and 14^th of the season on a tap-in at the side of the goal from a Quintin Loon-Stewardson feed out front.

With just four minutes to go in the third, and the Stars ahead by three, frustration began to boil over for the Terriers, eventually coming to a head when Yorkton forward Quinten Hobbs dropped the gloves with the Stars’ Dayton Heino.

Just when it appeared as though tensions had been vented, just 34 seconds later, Elijah Loon-Stewardson answered the bell again.

Standing up for a teammate on the receiving end of a blindside hit dished out by Cole Keenleyside, Elijah Loon-Stewardson also took part in the fisticuffs department, getting the already pumped up crowd roaring once again.

After Chantz Petruic scored his second of the game with under two minutes to go, to cut the lead to 6-4, MacGregor Sinclair steped up once again, cashing on his second goal of the game and 24^th of the year to ice the victory cake in favor of his team 7-4.

Stars’ netminder, Chad Duran made 23 saves on the night to backstop his team to victory. The win marks Duran’s fifth with the Battlefords this season in seven starts with the team.

At the other end of the ice, Andrew Henderson stopped 26 of the 32 shots sent his way.

The North Stars will get Saturday to rest and regroup, before returning to action Sunday at “The Cage” in Nipawin, to take on the defending-champion, league-leading, Nipawin Hawks.

Fans can catch all the action Sunday on 1050 CJNB beginning with the pregame show at 5:45 p.m. with puck drop to follow at 6 p.m.

Scoring summary at a glance

First period:

2:07 BAT Quintin Loon-Stewardson (10) ASST: Dayton Heino (8) (PP)

7:21 YOR Chantz Petruic (25) ASST: Colby Brandt (31)

13:01 YOR Cody Bruchkowski (20) ASST: Brendan Mark (33)

13:21 BAT Elijah Loon-Stewardson (13) ASST: Cody Spagrud (27)

Second period:

5:28 BAT MacGregor Sinclair (23) ASST: Braydon Buziak (21) (PP)

9:15 BAT Braydon Buziak (17) ASST: MacGregor Sinclair (33)

14:38 YOR Colby Brandt (19) ASST: Chantz Petruic (41), Cody Bruchkowski (23)

Third period:

0:15 BAT Seth Summers (1) ASST: Dayton Heino (9), Elijah Loon-Stewardson (18)

5:42 BAT Elijah Loon-Stewardson (14) ASST: Quintin Loon-Stewardson (12), Dayton Heino (10)

18:35 YOR Chantz Petruic (26) ASST: Branden Klatt (31), Cody Bruchkowski (24)

19:37 BAT MacGregor Sinclair (24) ASST: Owen Lamb (20) (EN)

7-4 North Stars, the final.

–

Martin.Martinson@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: MartyMartyPxP1