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North Stars' goalie Justen Maric led the way Saturday with a 47-save performance to backstop the team to victory. (Martin Martinson/battlefordsNOW Staff)
Firing on all cylanders

North Stars take 10th straight in weekend sweep of La Ronge

Nov 19, 2023 | 12:08 AM

The Battlefords North Stars extended their league-high winning streak to 10 straight Saturday, with a 4-3 victory over the La Ronge Ice Wolves to sweep the teams’ weekend series, in La Ronge.

The newly-minted top line of Kian Bell (one goal, two assists), Ben Portner (two assists), and Brayden Sinclair (two goals) led the way for the North Stars combining for seven points (three goals, four assists) on the night, while Brad Blake scored a power play goal, and Justen Maric stopped 47/50 to backstop the team to victory.

Brayden Sinclair scored a pair of highlight-reel goals Saturday night, and now has 16 points (eight goals, eight assists) through his first 18 games. (Martin Martinson/battlefordsNOW Staff)

Blake’s ninth of the season opened the scoring on a power play marker in the final minute of the first period, to make it 1-0. The lone goal through 40 minutes for either side, the third period saw the offenses at both ends break through in a big way.

Sinclair’s first of the game, and seventh of the year, came on a breakaway beauty to deke the goaltender, converting off a set-up from Porter to Bell to exit the defensive zone, who then found Sinclair for the breakaway chance to make it 2-0.

After Jaxson Martin answered back for La Ronge to get his team on the board, Sinclair’s second of the night – and eighth of the campaign – once again came in spectacular fashion. This time, the 18-year-old standout fired a backhand to the top shelf off a spin-o-rama move, for a goal reminiscent of a prime Evgeni Malkin.

Now a 3-1 game, Portner found Bell to make it 4-1, taking the puck for a spin around the offensive zone and outwaiting the goaltender to tuck it back out in front for Bell to touch home.

However, despite their deficit, the Ice Wolves would not be discouraged. Raine Hodge deflected home his seventh of the year to get his team back to within a pair, down 4-2 on a power play goal, followed by Dylan Handel’s second of the season to make it 4-3.

Despite a late La Ronge 5-on-3 for nearly a full two minutes pushing late for the tie, the North Stars stood strong and closed out the game thanks to a solid effort by Riley Girod, Tanner Gold and Josh Karman to kill off the two-man disadvantage and solidify the win.

With the victory, the North Stars are now 16-6-0-1 on the season, and with 33 points, sit just four back of first place Flin Flon.

The North Stars will now get a few days off to rest and regroup before returning to action Wednesday night in Melfort, against the Melfort Mustangs. The NAPA Auto Parts North Stars Broadcast will be available Wednesday 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:

19:19 BAT Brad Blake (9) ASST: Kian Bell, Tanner Gold (PP) 1-0 BAT

Second period:

No scoring

Third period:

1:15 BAT Brayden Sinclair (7) ASST: Kian Bell, Ben Portner 2-0 BAT

4:26 LAR Jaxson Martin (2) ASST: Mason Bueckert, Jacob Cossette 2-1 BAT

4:48 BAT Brayden Sinclair (8) ASST: Ben Portner 3-1 BAT

8:51 BAT Kian Bell (11) ASST: Ben Portner 4-1 BAT

11:21 LAR Raine Hodge (7) ASST: Parker Layton, Dylan Handel 4-2 BAT

14:15 LAR Dylan Handel (2) ASST: Raine Hodge, Liam McInnis 4-3 BAT

4-3 BAT, the final

Martin.Martinson@pattisonmedia.com

On X: @MartyMartyPxP1