The North Stars have points in all eleven of their games since the Christmas break with wins in ten of them. (Byron Hildebrand Photography/Facebook)

By Ryan Lambert

North Stars sweep weekend series

North Stars go perfect on the powerplay, take down Ice Wolves 7-2

Jan 24, 2026 | 11:31 PM

After a stressful 7-6 win over the La Ronge Ice Wolves on Friday, the Battlefords North Stars had another seven-goal performance in a more decisive 7-2 victory over the Ice Wolves to win their third straight game.

The North Stars (25-8-3-2, 1st in Nutrien Division) got three-point performances from a trio of players. Josh Knittig, Raiden Zacharias and Carter Geysen all had three points on the way to the victory, while North Stars goaltender Kaeden Serpa stopped 34 of the 36 shots that he saw on the way to the win.

Cole Hines opened the scoring for the North Stars with his third goal in two contests just 1:42 into the first period when he scored on a rebound from an Alessio Nardelli shot to give the North Stars a 1-0 lead.

Just 27 seconds later at the 2:09 mark, Raiden Zacharias brought the puck in tight on the left-hand side before scoring short side over the shoulder of Ice Wolves goaltender Graham Brown to put the North Stars up 2-0 early. The teams went scoreless for the rest of the period, and the North Stars took the two-goal lead into the second.

After one: 2-0 North Stars

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At the 6:58 mark of the second period, Josh Knittig deflected in a point shot from Keegan Nash. Knittig’s 16th goal of the season extended the North Stars lead to 3-0.

The score remained 3-0 until near the end of the frame when the Ice Wolves (7-26-3-1, 4th in UPL Division) broke Serpa’s shutout bid. During a flurry of shots in the North Stars zone, Dayton Tailfeathers finally got one past Kaeden Serpa at the 13:33 mark, scoring short side on a shot in tight to cut the North Stars lead to two goals at 3-1.

However, Gavin Granger restored the three-goal lead less than a minute later when he scored his 6th of the year on the North Stars first powerplay opportunity of the game at 18:29.

After two: 4-1 North Stars

Though the North Stars were up 4-1 heading into the third period, it wasn’t a lead they could take lightly after almost blowing a 5-1 lead in the third period the game prior.

The Ice Wolves did get the first goal of the period to make it 4-2 at the 9:39 mark when Quinn Tavender finished off a cross-crease from Tailfeathers.

After that, the North Stars put their foot back on the gas pedal. At 11:39, Alessio Nardelli scored a point shot on the powerplay to make the North Stars two-for-two on the man advantage.

The North Stars immediately got another powerplay opportunity. This time, it was the second unit that took advantage of it. Carter Geysen walked in from the point and near the top of the circle and scored low blocker on Graham to put the North Stars up 6-2.

At 16:47, Raiden Zacharias scored his second of the game and third in two games, taking a pass from Geysen and finishing it off to put the North Stars up 7-2, which they finished the game at.

Final score: 7-2 North Stars

The victory was the North Stars third straight win, and they remain undefeated in regulation in 2026. The Flin Flon Bombers took down the Estevan Bruins 5-0, so Flin Flon kept their first place spot in the SJHL with the North Stars remaining two points back.

In their next game, the North Stars will face off with the Melfort Mustangs at home on Jan. 27 when they aim for their fourth straight victory.

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Ryan.Lambert@pattisonmedia.com