Already the defending SJHL Goalie of the Week, Justen Maric picked up his second shutout in three games Friday, stopping all 31 shots he faced against La Ronge. (Martin Martinson/battlefordsNOW Staff)

By Martin Martinson

6-0 win

Stars score six, Maric shuts door in victory over La Ronge

Oct 14, 2023 | 12:08 AM

Six different North Stars scored on the night, and goaltender Justen Maric stopped all 31 shots he faced, to lead the Battlefords North Stars to a 6-0 win over the La Ronge Ice Wolves Friday night in North Battleford.

A scoreless game at the end of the first, the Stars scored three in quick-succession in the second period to take the lead, and three more in the third to put the game away for good, while Maric earned his second shutout in three games this season.

“I thought we really turned it up there in the second, and brought [that momentum] into the third,” Maric said of the team’s performance, postgame. “We kept a lot of the shots to the outside and I thought we had all four lines rolling, and especially for the second and third period.”

The Stars’ first two goals were separated by just six seconds, with the third adding to the advantage to make it 3-0 just three minutes later.

Ben Portner’s second of the season saw the 19-year-old split the defense in a 1-on-3 effort en route to a highlight-reel tally, followed by a similar play by Jackson Allan off the ensuing faceoff to again slice through the defense to go roof on the short-side.

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Blake’s was a strong effort by the 20-year-old veteran to dip his shoulder on a drive to the net, before scooping the puck over the goalie’s shoulder far-side, lighting the lamp for his third of the campaign.

Early in the third period, first-year standouts Xavier Lacoste and Brayden Sinclair then added to the Stars’ lead with a tally each just 14 seconds apart, to break the game wide open at 5-0, not even five minutes into the final frame.

Riley Girod, who was instrumental in a big 5-on-3 penalty kill for the Battlefords, and had already assisted on the opening goal, also chipped in with one of his own to make it 6-0, to cap the scoring on the night.

North Stars teammates gather around goaltender Justen Maric following Friday night’s win. (Martin Martinson/battlefordsNOW Staff)

With the win, the North Stars get back to .500 on the season, now 4-4-0 through their opening eight games. The Ice Wolves fall to 2-6-1 through nine games, and will be hungry to rebound in night two of the teams’ home-and-home Saturday night back in La Ronge.

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

Scoring summary

First period:

No scoring

Second period:

4:46 BAT Ben Portner (2) ASST: Riley Girod 1-0 BAT

4:52 BAT Jackson Allan ASST: Tanner Gold 2-0 BAT

7:59 BAT Bradley Blake (3) ASST: Jordan Grill, Jackson Allan 3-0 BAT

Third period:

4:38 BAT Xavier Lacoste (3) ASST: Evan Waldie, Owen Underhill 4-0 BAT

4:52 BAT Brayden Sinclair (3) ASST: Hunter Burgeson, Josh Karman 5-0 BAT

10:52 BAT Riley Girod (2) ASST: Rylan Williams 6-0 BAT

6-0 BAT, the final

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Martin.Martinson@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @MartyMartyPxP1