Stars best Hounds in shootout thriller

Later in the period MacGregor Sinclair, who picked up the primary helper on Buziak’s opening goal, also added a goal of his own, potting his team-leading 27^th of the year on the Stars’ first power play of the contest.

Stars’ forward, MacGregor Sinclair picked up another two points Sunday against Notre Dame. The veteran center has now scored 13 goals over his last 17 games dating back to Jan. 5. (Martin Martinson/battlefordsNOW Staff)

With just about three minutes remaining ahead of the first intermission, the home team cracked the Stars’ lead in half, courtesy of a Jakob Breault rush chance. The scoring play developed after the forward danced around the North Stars’ zone prior to finding Marshall Wilton’s stick loose out front for the tap in. Wilton’s goal marked his 22^nd of the season, and first of the game.

In the second, the Stars again were the team to kick off the scoring parade, with Brett Gammer collecting the team’s second power play goal of the evening, just under two minutes into the middle frame.

After back-to-back Joseph Santalucia goals to tie things up, the Battlefords again managed to pull out ahead prior to the close out of the second, courtesy of Matthew Fletcher’s third of the season.

In addition to reestablishing the lead for the visitors, Fletcher’s goal also served as the team’s third power play strike on the night.

North Stars’ defenseman, Matthew Fletcher, pictured here surrounded by teammates after scoring one of his two goals on the evening Sunday.

In the third, Notre Dame flipped the script a bit, scoring a goal in the first three minutes of their own to tie things up, 4-4 early in the final regulation time period.

The Hounds’ first lead of the game came not too long after, off the stick of Marshall Wilton, who scored his second of the night with just over 10 minutes to go in the third.

Despite the lead’s change of hands, the North Stars continued to chip away off the ensuing faceoff, with the hard work paying off in a somewhat fortuitous fashion, as Matthew Fletcher notched his second of the game on a shot that skipped up over the goalie and in from far out.

Tied 5-5 is how the game stayed to the end of regulation time.

Stars’ forward, Owen Lamb played the hero for the North Stars once again Sunday, scoring the game winner in the shootout for the second-straight evening. (Martin Martinson/battlefordsNOW Staff)

After five minutes of 3-on-3 overtime solved nothing, the North Stars, for the second straight night, were headed to the shootout to decide the game.

In the shootout after Jakob Breault was stopped on his team’s initial bid, Owen Lamb who had played the hero last night, came right in on goal.

Snapping the puck home almost as if it had become a habit, Lamb’s tally in the penalty shot relay proved to be the only one, as Stars’ netminder Joel Grzybowski stopped all three shooters sent his way.

Prior to another outstanding shootout display, Grzybowski stopped 31 shots on the evening to backstop his team to victory. Grzybowski’s 22 wins on the season rank second amongst all netminders.

The North Stars will now get nearly a week to rest and regroup before returning to action Friday night at home at the Civic Centre against this same Hounds’ team.

Ultra Print Pregame Show will begin at 7:15 p.m. with puck drop at 7:30 p.m. Friday, March 1 on NAPA North Stars hockey on 1050 CJNB.

Scoring summary

First period:

3:45 BAT Braydon Buziak (18) ASST: MacGregor Sinclair (39), Owen Lamb (26)

12:18 BAT MacGregor Sinclair (27) ASST: Cody Spagrud (31), Owen Lamb (27) (PP)

16:54 ND Marshall Wilton (22) ASST: Jakob Breault (29), Jarrett Penner (16)

Second period:

1:57 BAT Brett Gammer (14) ASST: Braydon Buziak (28), Cody Spagrud (32) (PP)

4:47 ND Joseph Santalucia (3) ASST: Marshall Wilton (43), Jarrett Penner (17)

10:17 ND Joseph Santalucia (4) ASST: Jarrett Penner (18), Charles Martin (26)

13:05 Matthew Fletcher (3) ASST: Austin Becker (8), Dayton Heino (12) (PP)

Third period:

2:47 ND Jarrett Penner (21) ASST: Jakob Breault (30), Marshall Wilton (44)

9:19 ND Marshall Wilton (23) ASST: Jakob Breault (31), Jarrett Penner (19)

12:12 BAT Matthew Fletcher (4) ASST: Unassisted

Overtime:

No scoring

Shootout:

ND Jacob Breault – No goal

BAT Owen Lamb – Goal *Shootout winner

ND Marshal Wilton – No goal

BAT Braydon Buziak – No goal

ND Joseph Santalucia – No goal

–

Martin.Martinson@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: MartyMartyPxP1

by Martin Martinson

Stars best Hounds in shootout thriller

What's Trending