North Stars teammates celebrate following their 12th straight win Wednesday night. (Martin Martinson/battlefordsNOW Staff)

By Martin Martinson

Start 2023 hot

Stars get goals from all four lines, top La Ronge for 12th straight

Jan 5, 2023 | 12:23 AM

It took just three periods into the New Year for all four lines to get on the board for the Battlefords North Stars, in the team’s 4-3 win over La Ronge Wednesday night in North Battleford.

Steven Kesslering, Jake Southgate, Evan Waldie, and Keiton Klein scored for the team in the victory, while goalie Josh Kotai stopped 26/29 between the pipes for the win.

Kesslering’s 16^th of the year opened the scoring midway through the first, on a shot from the left circle over the goalie’s shoulder short-side.

Southgate’s 14^th then made it 2-0 Stars, picking up a pass from Doell in the slot to rip a backhander high to the glove-side, to add an insurance marker on the power play just prior to the first intermission.

Stars captain Jake Southgate scored a goal and was a menace defensively all night for the North Stars, blocking shots, stripping pucks and killing penalties. (Martin Martinson/battlefordsNOW Staff)

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In the second, the lone goal for either side came courtesy of Waldie’s fifth, set up by Emmett Wurst for a laser-like release from the mid-slot to stretch the lead to 3-0, heading into the third.

However, while the game looked to be in full control heading into the final frame, La Ronge did counter with back-to-back goals of their own on the man advantage, early.

Both scored by Ice Wolves’ captain Jerome Walker, the goals came just over a minute apart, and each inside the opening 2:13 of play in the period, shrinking the visitors’ deficit to 3-2.

Klein’s 12^th proved to be the eventual game winner on a gorgeous breakaway tally fired perfectly off the post-and-in, after being sprung for the chance on a slick stretch-feed from Wilson Steele.

Flynn Maxcy’s fifth again made it a one-goal contest just inside the final two minutes, though that is as close as the Ice Wolves would get, in a 4-3 Stars final.

With the victory, the North Stars extend their current winning streak to 12 straight, and their league leading record to 29-0-2-1 through 32 games. With 61 points, the Stars now sit 16 points up on the field in the league standings.

The North Stars will now get a day off before returning to play this weekend for a home-and-home with the division rival Kindersley Klippers, Friday and Saturday.

Friday’s game at the ACC will be available on 1050 CJNB, with the Ultra Print Pregame Show at 7 p.m., and puck drop at 7:30 p.m. on the NAPA Auto Parts North Stars Hockey Broadcast.

Scoring summary

First period:

9:20 BAT Steven Kesslering (16) ASST: Owen Underhill, Jordan Gibbs 1-0 BAT

18:56 BAT Jake Southgate (14) ASST: Holden Doell, Tynan Ewart 2-0 BAT

Second period:

3:45 BAT Evan Waldie (5) ASST: Emmett Wurst, Brad Blake 3-0 BAT

Third period:

0:54 LAR Walker Jarome (12) ASST: Thomas Wright (PP) 3-1 BAT

2:13 LAR Walker Jarome (13) ASST: None (PP) 3-2 BAT

16:05 BAT Keiton Klein (12) ASST: Wilson Steele 4-2 BAT

18:47 LAR Flynn Maxcy (5) ASST: Trenton Curtis, Mason Bueckert 4-3 BAT

4-3 North Stars, the final

—

Martin.Martinson@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @MartyMartyPxP1