Stars defenceman Tynan Ewart celebrates with Kian Bell, following the latter's second period goal Friday night. (Martin Martinson/battlefordsNOW Staff)

By Martin Martinson

No love lost

Stars top Broncos 5-2 in heavyweight tilt

Oct 29, 2022 | 1:18 AM

Rivalry night lived up to the billing Friday at the Access Communications Centre, in the Battlefords North Stars’ 5-2 win over the Humboldt Broncos.

The teams combined for 173 penalty minutes in what marks the first game of the season series between the two divisional foes, including 13 10-minute misconducts given out in the third period, in an attempt to keep a lid on the game.

Five different players scored for the Stars in the win, including Kian Bell (who also added a pair of helpers), Colby Bear, Jake Southgate, Steven Kesslering and Jordan Grill, while Josh Kotai made 30 saves between the pipes to backstop the team to victory.

After Humboldt’s Cage Newans made it 1-0 Broncos on his eighth of the year with a tip in front of the net, the Stars answered in the second, courtesy of Bell’s 11^th.

Coming on a quick release from the slot on the power play, Bell’s goal knotted the score 1-1, extending his point streak to five straight, with five goals and nine points over the span.

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Tim Kim re-upped the Broncos’ lead at 2-1 prior to the second intermission on a wrister from the slot of his own, though the Stars would come out with a vengeance in the third.

Bear made it 2-2 on his sixth of the season and fourth in his last four games, one-timing a perfect setup in front, from Bell and Evan Waldie.

And after Waldie drew a four-minute double-minor for taking a high stick from Broncos’ defenceman, Quinn Myles, the proverbial turning point of the contest was already on its way.

Southgate scored his seventh driving to the front of the goal to tap home the rebound off a scramble chance in front, only to be barreled into from behind immediately as he scored.

Causing a melee to break out in the crease area, the initial skirmish – and subsequent carryover to the bench area – led to 60 minutes in penalties right there, with Broncos’ Chase Lacombe and Samuel Marburg, and Stars’ Kian Bell and Zane Florence each given 2 minutes Roughing and a 10-minute Misconduct, with Emmett Wurst also picking up a 10 at the conclusion of the fallout.

Shortly after Kesslering made it 4-2 on a laser wrist shot from the left circle for his 11^th from Keiton Klein, things again got ugly leading to more of the ‘extra curriculars.’

Just 18 seconds later, following the ensuing faceoff at centre, Broncos’ defenceman Daylan Weigel then caught Jordan Gibbs with a dangerous hit from behind, resulting in a five-minute Major Checking from Behind penalty and 10-minute Misconduct, while Newans and Waldie also picked up a 10-minute Misconduct for their roles in the resulting scrum.

Gibbs was alright to skate to the locker room with the assistance of the trainer, though he would not return.

Less than a minute later, the Stars cashed in on the resulting power play, as Grill scored his third of the year to give him his 10^th point in 13 games, and the Stars a 5-2 final.

Late in the game, the animosity between the two sides again boiled over when Broncos’ forward, Connor Casparie ran over Keiton Klein in open ice. Humboldt’s Casparie and Noah Barlage were given two-minute Roughing penalties and a 10-minute Misconduct each, as were Tanner Gold, Kesslering and Klein, who each jumped in, in Klein’s defense.

With the victory, the North Stars extend their league-leading record to 15-0-1 and add further separation between themselves and the Broncos who are now seven points back in second-place, at 12-3 on the year.

The teams will meet again for the second night of their home-and-home Saturday night in Humboldt. Due to the Riders game on 1050 CJNB, Saturday’s game will be available on 93.3 The Rock. The Ultra Print Pregame Show will begin at 7 p.m. with puck drop at 7:30 p.m. on the NAPA Auto Parts North Stars Hockey Broadcast.

Scoring summary

First period:

17:15 HUM Cage Newans (8) ASST: Danton Cox (5) 1-0 Broncos

Second period:

9:23 BAT Kian Bell (11) ASST: Tynan Ewart (15), Holden Doell (12) (PP) 1-1 tie

16:32 HUM Timothy Kim (4) ASST: Noah Barlage (10) 2-1 Broncos

Third period:

6:23 BAT Colby Bear (6) ASST: Kian Bell (10), Evan Waldie (7) 2-2 tie

13:01 BAT Jake Southgate (7) ASST: Kian Bell (11), Zane Florence (7) (PP) 3-2 Stars

15:52 BAT Steven Kesslering (11) ASST: Keiton Klein (6) 4-2 Stars

17:14 BAT Jordan Grill (3) ASST: Holden Doell (13) (PP) 5-2 Stars

5-2 North Stars, the final

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Martin.Martinson@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @MartyMartyPxP1