The North Stars became the first team to 20 wins this season with their victory Saturday in Battleford. (Martin Martinson/battlefordsNOW Staff)

By Martin Martinson

Overtime Thriller

Kotai, Bell lead way as Stars top Bombers in OT

Nov 19, 2022 | 7:01 PM

Josh Kotai made another 51 saves and Kian Bell scored the overtime winner Saturday afternoon, to lead the Battlefords North Stars to a 4-3 overtime victory over Flin Flon at Battleford Arena.

With the win, the Stars sweep their weekend series with the Bombers 2-0, taking all four possible points in the standings, to improve to 20-0-2-1 on the season through their opening 23 games.

Josh Kotai stopped 51/54 Bombers’ shots Saturday, after going 58/60 the night prior, for a total of 109 saves on 114 shots against on the weekend. (Martin Martinson/battlefordsNOW Staff)

In addition to the strong play from their goaltender, the Stars also saw their depth shine through with another four goals from four different players in the win, as each of Colby Bear, Jake Southgate, Zane Florence and Bell got on the board on the afternoon.

Following a dominant start to the game for the Bombers, that saw Flin Flon outshoot the Battlefords 17-6 in the opening period, despite three Stars’ power plays, the North Stars did come alive in the second.

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Trailing 2-0 on goals in the first by Jeremi Tremblay on the power play, and early second by Jaxon Martens – assisted by Tremblay to extend the visitors’ lead – Bear’s seventh of the campaign served as the team’s initial answer to cut the defecit in half.

Picking up a pass by Riley Girod out to open space, Bear strode in alone on a breakaway and snapped a wrister high blocker-side just 3:15 into the middle period.

The goal sparked the team to another in quick-succession, this time by the captain Southgate for his eighth, on a rebound in-tight to knot the scoring in a flash, 2-2.

Southgate then found Florence just four minutes later at the side of the goal to set up a wraparound tally by his fellow Battlefords’ hometown product to make it a 3-2 game giving the Battlefords their first lead of the day.

In the third however, Flin Flon again dominated the shots, outshooting the Stars 20-8 on their way to a Jacob Vockler tying goal to make it a 3-3 game midway through the frame, in a deadlock that would remain to the end of regulation.

Overtime set the stage for Bell to ‘ring in’ the heroics.

The play began when Tynan Ewart sprung Doell in-stride for a rush up ice in the 3-on-3. Bell, joining the offensive forray drove to the front of the goal and found a quiet area with his stick open for a pass he then chipped home for the deciding goal on the contest, making it a 4-3 Battlefords win.

Kian Bell’s OT winner was his second goal of the weekend, eighth in his last six games, and league-leading 19th of the year in just 20 games played. (Martin Martinson/battlefordsNOW Staff)

The North Stars will now get the better part of a week off to rest and regroup, before returning to home ice for back-to-backs Thursday and Friday night against La Ronge.

Both games will be available on 1050 CJNB. The NAPA Auto Parts North Stars Broadcasts will begin with the Ultra Print Pregame Show at 7 p.m., and puck drop at 7:30 p.m.

Scoring summary

First period:

2:42 FF Jeremi Trembay (12) ASST: Cole Duperreault, Jaeden Mercier (PP) 1-0 Bombers

Second period:

1:01 FF Jaxon Martens (8) ASST: Jeremi Tremblay, Cole Duperreault 2-0 Bombers

3:15 BAT Colby Bear (7) ASST: Riley Girod 2-1 Bombers

3:54 BAT Jake Southgate (9) ASST: Kian Bell, Holden Doell 2-2 Tie

7:09 BAT Zane Florence (3) ASST: Jake Southgate 3-2 Stars

Third period:

6:56 FF Jacob Vockler (6) ASST: Alex Von Sprecken, Alexi Sylvestre 3-3 Tie

Overtime:

2:26 BAT Kian Bell (19) ASST: Holden Doell, Tynan Ewart 4-3 Stars

4-3 OT North Stars, the final

—

Martin.Martinson@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: MartyMartyPxP1