North Stars teammates gather around goaltender Logan Cunningham to celebrate following Friday's win. (Martin Martinson/battlefordsNOW Staff)

By Martin Martinson

Rivalry in full Swing

North Stars take barn burner 5-1 in Kindersley

Dec 16, 2023 | 12:40 AM

It may have been nearly three months since their last meeting, but there was no love lost between the Battlefords North Stars and Kindersley Klippers when they renewed acquaintances Friday night in Kindersley.

A 2-1 North Stars’ lead at the end of the first, and 5-1 game at the end of two, the scoring was interspersed with relentless physicality and mix-ups after each whistle, with 50 minutes in penalties in the first period alone, on the way to 230 penalty minutes combined on the night.

Kian Bell’s 20^th of the season opened the scoring, making it 1-0 Battlefords on a slick play to steal the puck and score in front, just passed the midway mark of the first. After Tylin Hilbig’s 15^th tied things for the Klippers a minute later, Josh Medernach’s third of the season re-established the Stars’ lead on a breakaway tally with five minutes to go in the opening frame.

Less than a minute after the go-ahead goal, a line-brawl erupted between the two sides, resulting in Hunter Burgeson and Josh Karman of the North Stars and Ethan and Tylin Hilbig of the Klippers each receiving 10-minute misconducts.

Jackson Allan’s eighth of the season came on the power play early in the second, to extend the North Stars’ lead to 3-1, deflecting a Brad Blake shot from the point for the first of three straight by the Stars in the period.

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Carson Olsen’s eighth followed just a couple of minutes later, on a quick release from the high slot to make it 4-1, with Portner’s 10^th of the campaign capping the scoring on the night on a solo rush and snipe to make it 5-1 Battlefords, the final.

While the scoring may have been finished, the animosity remained between the two sides to the end of the night. Tempers flared again when Klippers’ defenceman Jacob Dennis rocked Karman in front of the Battlefords’ bench, leading to a response from Brad Blake, who jumped in to defend his teammate. As a result, both Blake and Dennis received a 10-minute Misconduct, with the latter also assessed a two-minute penalty for a blow/hit to the head.

Eight more 10-minute Misconducts were assessed in the third, though at the end of the night, the score remained the same, as a 5-1 North Stars’ victory.

Logan Cunningham stopped 22/23 shots to backstop the North Stars to the win. Logan Falk went 22/27 through 34 minutes, before being replaced by Cody Jaman who was a perfect 11/11 in the Kindersley crease in relief.

With the victory the North Stars are now 21-7-2-1 on the season through 31 games. With 45 points, the team leapfrogs Melfort – who fell 5-4 to Nipawin in OT – for second overall in the SJHL standings heading into their final game ahead of the holidays.

Saturday’s rematch with the Klippers will be played back in North Battleford, to wrap up the teams’ weekend series. The NAPA Auto Parts North Stars Broadcast will be available Saturday 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:

10:32 BAT Kian Bell ASST: None 1-0 BAT

11:12 KIN Tylin Hilbig ASST: Cam Perlinger, Austin Osiowy 1-1 Tie

15:08 BAT Josh Medernach (3) ASST: Jordan Grill 2-1 BAT

Second period:

6:09 BAT Jackson Allan (8) ASST: Brad Blake, Tanner Gold (PP) 3-1 BAT

8:25 BAT Carson Olsen (8) ASST: Rylan Williams, Tanner Gold 4-1 BAT

14:09 BAT Ben Portner (10) ASST: Kian Bell, Easton Rask 5-1 BAT

Third period:

No scoring

5-1 BAT, the final

—

Martin.Martinson@pattisonmedia.com

On X: @MartyMartyPxP1