Stars’ forwards Logan Spence (#29), Ben Hiltz (#26) and Quintin Loon-Stewardson (#22) lead the charge as teammates gather around netminder, Austin Schwab to celebrate Saturday’s 3-2 victory over Melville at the Civic Centre. (Martin Martinson/battlefordsNOW Staff)

By Martin Martinson

Hard work pays off

Stars cash in for sixth straight, top Millionaires 3-2

Jan 25, 2020 | 11:38 PM

The Battlefords North Stars continued to surge Saturday night at the Civic Centre, as the team topped the Melville Millionaires 3-2 to take their sixth consecutive win.

Noah Form led the way for the team, picking up a goal and a helper, while Dylan McCabe and Logan Spence also pitched in with a goal apiece on the night. In net, Austin Schwab made 25 saves to earn the victory for his team.

At the other end, Rin Beny scored each of Melville’s two goals on the night in the losing cause, while netminder, Berk Berkeliev stopped 42-of-45 Stars’ shots to keep his team in the game throughout the night.

Beny’s first of the game opened the scoring for the visitors just 7:36 into the first, making it 1-0 Melville, on the forward’s fifth of the year.

McCabe then tied things up 1-1 later in the frame, cashing in for his sixth of the season on a shot from the point on a Stars’ power play.

Riderville

Shades of 2007

4h ago

BODY-WORM CAMERAS

RCMP begins nationwide rollout of body cameras for frontline officers

21h ago

Inflation

Rent inflation to slow in the next few years, Desjardins predicts

Nov 14, 2024

The game remained a single-goal tie to the end of the first, despite a staggering 23-8 shot advantage for the Battlefords.

In the second, it didn’t take long for the Stars to pull ahead. Form’s ninth made it 2-1, assisted by affiliated player (AP) call-up, Caelan Fitzpatrick and Matthias Urbanski.

Urbanski started the play on a drop pass to Fitzpatrick, just inside the blue line. Walking into a heavy wristshot on a quick release, Fitzpatrick then wired a shot on goal that skipped off the goalie and was tapped home by Form.

For Fitzpatrick, the assist served as his first career Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League (SJHL) point, coming in the 16-year-old’s league debut.

Spence made it 3-1 Stars on a tip play in front, scoring the eventual game winner with just six minutes to go in the second. The goal also served as Spence’s fourth of the season.

In the third period, Rin Beny scored his second of the night for the Millioniaires, but that is as close as the Millionaires would get; 3-2 North Stars, the final.

With the victory, the Stars continue to add to their lead atop the SJHL standings. At 38-7-2 on the season, the Battlefords now sit 19 points up on second place overall.

The North Stars will now get six days off before returning to action Jan. 31 against the rival Humboldt Broncos at the Civic Centre.

Friday’s game against Humboldt will be broadcast on 1050 CJNB. The Ultra Print Pregame Show will begin at 7:15 p.m. with puck drop at 7:30 p.m. on NAPA Auto Parts North Stars Hockey.

Scoring summary

First period:

7:36 MLV Rin Beny (5) ASST: Connor Nolan (5), Aidan Steinke (6)

16:19 BAT Dylan McCabe (6) ASST: Austin Becker (28), Seth Summers (31) (PP)

Second period:

0:47 BAT Noah Form (9) ASST: Caelan Fitzpatrick (1), Matthias Urbanski (27)

14:00 Logan Spence (4) ASST: Noah Form (20), Dylan Esau (13)

Third period:

16:44 Rin Beny (6) ASST: Dylan Thackeray (10), Johnathan Krahn (12) (PP)

3-2 North Stars, the final.

—

Martin.Martinson@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: MartyMartyPxP1