North Stars teammates gather around to celebrate following Saturday night's win in Estevan. (Martin Martinson/battlefordsNOW Staff)

By Martin Martinson

First win of 2024

North Stars best Bruins to take fourth straight

Jan 7, 2024 | 12:04 AM

The Battlefords North Stars picked up right where they left off prior to the holiday break Saturday, opening 2024 with a 3-1 victory over the Estevan Bruins at Affinity Place, to extend their winning streak to four straight.

Goaltender Logan Cunningham made 20/21 stops to backstop the team to the win, while Jackson Allan, Brad Blake and Josh Medernach each added a goal apiece from three different forward lines.

Allan’s ninth of the season came with just under five minutes to go in the first, firing home the rebound of a Riley Girod one-timer in front, to equal his previous career high in goals from last season, in 18 fewer games.

The lone tally through the first period-and-a-half, the Battlefords’ 1-0 advantage lasted until Bruins’ forward Zach Burfoot struck to knot the score at a goal apiece, though the home-side’s celebration would be short lived.

Before the in-arena announcer could even recite the home goal, Blake’s 13^th answered to re-establish the Battlefords’ lead on a curl-and-drag wrister less than 30 seconds later. Stopping any Bruins’ momentum in its tracks, Medernach’s fourth then gave the Stars their first two-goal advantage at 3-1, cashing for a shorthanded goal on a two-on-one pass from Brayden Sinclair.

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Among the highlight-reel saves on the night was a paddle-stop by Cunningham on Ilia Chemlevski in the second, and a breakaway stop on Owen Barrow late in the third to secure the win. Estevan’s Jackson Miller stopped 19/22 at the other end with his best being a quick-reaction save on a Kian Bell-to-Ben Portner two-on-one play late.

With the victory, the North Stars are now 23-7-2-1 through 33 games, and remain within two points of second-place Melfort while holding two games in hand. The Stars will return to action Sunday for an afternoon game at Notre Dame against the Hounds.

Sunday’s game will be available on 1050 CJNB with the Ultra Print Pregame Show at 4 p.m. and puck drop to follow at 4:30 p.m. on the NAPA Auto Parts North Stars Broadcast.

Scoring summary

First period:

15:51 BAT Jackson Allan (9) ASST: Riley Girod, Tanner Gold 1-0 BAT

Second period:

12:09 EST Zach Burfoot (7) ASST: Felix Allard, Ilia Chmelevski 1-1 Tie

12:37 BAT Bradley Blake (13) ASST: None 2-1 BAT

13:08 BAT Josh Medernach (4) ASST: Brayden Sinclair (SH) 3-1 BAT

Third period:

No scoring

3-1 BAT, the final

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Martin.Martinson@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @MartyMartyPxP1