North Stars' teammates gather around goaltender Logan Cunningham following the win in his debut donning the black and silver, Tuesday. (Martin Martinson/battlefordsNOW Staff)

By Martin Martinson

Top Hounds 7-4

North Stars net seven, win Cunningham debut

Dec 13, 2023 | 12:33 AM

Logan Cunningham stopped 32 of 36 shots for the win in his Stars’ debut, and Rylan Williams netted a pair of goals as one of six different players to light the lamp, as the Battlefords North Stars took home a 7-4 victory over the Notre Dame Hounds in North Battleford, Tuesday.

Alex Izyk (one goal, one assist), Josh Karman, Brayden Sinclair, Kian Bell, and Josh Medernach also tallied a goal apiece, while Brad Blake (three assists) and Riley Girod (two assists) also played a key role contributing to the offense.

Karman’s second of the year opened the scoring, deflecting home an Izyk shot from the point to give the North Stars the ice breaker not quite five minutes into play. This was followed quickly by Izyk’s own goal for his eighth of the season, on a pinpoint wrister to make it 2-0 Battlefords by the midway mark of the first.

Following a late Hounds’ goal from Jacob Lundeen to cut his team’s deficit to 2-1 ahead of the intermission, Sinclair re-established the North Stars’ insurance on a gorgeous power play marker early in the second, dashing down the boards to beat the goaltender clean and make it 3-1 Battlefords.

The first of four alternating goals over the course of the middle frame, after Hounds’ forward Davis Sato made it 3-2, Williams’ first of the night came off a nifty feed from Stars’ captain Tanner Gold to find him backdoor for a one-timer to make it 4-2. Though again, the Hounds’ would find one of their own late to make it 4-3 heading into the third.

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However, by the final period, the North Stars proved too much.

Bell’s 19^th of the season came off a two-on-one feed from Brad Blake to make it 5-3, followed shortly after by Williams’ second of the contest on a slick breakaway finish to stretch the advantage to 6-3.

Matteo Sparanza got the Hounds back to within a pair, down 6-4 just four minutes into the period, though that is as close as the visitors would come. Medernach’s third of the season came into the empty net to seal the win for the Battlefords, 7-4.

Medernach’s empty-netter to seal Tuesday’s win gives the forward goals in back-to-back games, and points in four of his last five. (Martin Martinson/battlefordsNOW Staff)

With the victory the North Stars are now 20-7-2-1 on the season, and sit just a single point back of the Melfort Mustangs for second in the SJHL standings while holding two games in hand.

The North Stars will return to action this weekend for their final two games of the 2023 portion of the schedule, prior to the new year. Playing Kindersley in a home-and-home, Friday’s game will be in Kindersley, with Saturday’s back in North Battleford.

Both games 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. on the NAPA Auto Parts North Stars Hockey Broadcast.

Scoring summary

First period:

4:46 BAT Josh Karman (2) ASST: Alex Izyk, Brad Blake 1-0 BAT

7:05 BAT Alex Izyk (8) ASST: None 2-0 BAT

19:29 ND Jacob Lundeen (4) ASST: MacLean Cooney 2-1 BAT

Second period:

3:46 BAT Brayden Sinclair (11) ASST: Hunter Burgeson, Brad Blake (PP) 3-1 BAT

8:48 ND Davis Sato (9) ASST: Jacob Lundeen, Carson Reagan 3-2 BAT

12:19 Rylan Williams (11) ASST: Tanner Gold, Riley Girod 4-2 BAT

12:32 ND Alexander Hollands (7) ASST: DJ Freigang 4-3 BAT

Third period:

1:12 BAT Kian Bell (19) ASST: Brad Blake 5-3 BAT

2:48 BAT Rylan Williams (12) ASST: Riley Girod 6-3 BAT

3:59 ND Matteo Speranza (9) ASST: Kyle Kalamaras 6-4 BAT

19:15 BAT Josh Medernach (3) ASST: None 7-4 BAT

7-4 BAT, the final

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Martin.Martinson@pattisonmedia.com

On X: @MartyMartyPxP1