Forward Matthew Biros, who scored for the Stars Sunday, locks in on the faceoff against La Ronge. (Martin Martinson/battlefordsNOW Staff)

By Martin Martinson

Next up, home opener

North Stars wrap pre-season in La Ronge with 4-3 OT loss

Sep 17, 2023 | 9:28 PM

The Battlefords North Stars wrapped up their pre-season schedule in La Ronge Sunday evening, with a back-and-forth contest that went right down to the wire, in overtime.

A 4-3 final for the Ice Wolves in the extra frame, even with the loss, the Stars saw some positives with three different players getting on the board with their first of the pre-season, as the team fired 45 shots on goal throughout the game.

Ice Wolves forward Payton Hu opened the scoring just 1:29 into the first, on a quick shot off a faceoff win in the Stars’ zone. However, despite the early setback, the North Stars would battle back with a pair of their own to take a 2-1 lead to the first intermission, along with a 21-13 shot advantage.

Andrew Casellato scored just passed the midway mark of the first, on a strong play in front of the net to win his stick free and convert a set-up from the corner by defenceman Alex Izyk, to make it a 1-1 game.

Matthew Biros’ first then came on the power play just six minutes later, on another nifty play in the low slot area, to cut in front of the crease and deflect an Xavier Lacoste shot-pass to give the Battlefords their first lead at 2-1.

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Following a scoreless second period and first half of the third, Hu tallied his second of the game for the Ice Wolves to get his team back even at 2-2, before Dylan Handel’s first of the pre-season just a minute later put La Ronge back on top at 3-2 with just under half a period to go.

Stars’ forward Rylan Williams’ first knotted the score 3-3 late in the third, with just over three minutes to go. Williams, who was acquired from La Ronge in early July, cashed in for the tying goal on the rebound of an Evan Waldie shot he set up in the high slot.

In overtime, Tyler Gyori scored the game winner just two minutes in, converting on a feed from defenceman Rylan Silzer in the corner to give the home team the 4-3 victory.

Stars’ goaltenders Joey Hawco and Cedric Cyr-Dauphinais split the start for the Battlefords, playing just over 31 minutes each. Hawco stopped 17/18 through the first half of the game, while Cyr-Dauphinais went 14/17 over the second half.

At the other end, La Ronge’s Topher Chirico played the entire 62 minutes, stopping 42/45 Stars’ shots to backstop his team to the win.

The North Stars will now get the better part of a week to rest up, practice and prepare for opening weekend of the regular season, next Friday and Saturday.

The Stars will open their regular season with a home-and-home against Kindersley. Both the Stars’ home opener Friday, Sept. 22 and the following game Saturday, Sept. 23, will be broadcast on 1050 CJNB. Pregame will begin at 7 p.m., with puck drop at 7:30 p.m. both nights.

Scoring summary

First period:

1:29 LAR Payton Hu (2) ASST: Tyler Gyori 1-0 LAR

11:48 BAT Andrew Casellato (1) ASST: Alex Izyk 1-1

17:30 BAT Matthew Biros ASST: Xavier Lacoste (PP) 2-1 BAT

Second period:

None

Third period:

10:35 LAR Payton Hu (3) ASST: Kale Taylor, Parker Layton 2-2

11:21 LAR Dylan Handel (1) ASST: None 3-2 LAR

16:44 BAT Rylan Williams (1) ASST: Evan Waldie 3-3

Overtime:

2:08 LAR Tyler Gyori (2) ASST: Rylan Silzer, Raine Hodge 4-3 LAR

4-3 LAR, the final

—

Martin.Martinson@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @MartyMartyPxP1