The North Stars will head into Flin Flon next weekend as they continue to aim for home ice advantage in the playoffs. (Image Credit: Byron Hildebrand Photography/Facebook)

By Ryan Lambert

HOME VICTORY

Serpa stops 40 shots as the North Stars take down the Humboldt Broncos 3-1

Mar 1, 2026 | 12:53 AM

 The Battlefords North Stars avoided the weekend sweep and their third straight loss with a 3-1 win over the Humboldt Broncos at home. 

“It was an unbelievable effort. It was exactly what we wanted coming into tonight,” said North Stars assistant coach Owen Lamb postgame. “Everyone was just bought in, playing the right way, doing what was necessary to get the job done tonight. So really proud of our group. It took all 20 guys and was just a great performance.” 

The North Stars (33-14-3-2, 1st in Nutrien Division) got on the board first when Finlay Klippenstein picked up a rebound and shot it past Broncs goaltender Brady Holtvogt. Klippenstein’s team and rookie leading 24th goal of the season gave the North Stars a 1-0 lead at the 6:17 mark on the powerplay. 

Josh Knittig doubled the North Stars lead when he took a pass on the left-hand side of the zone before firing it past the glove of Holtvogt at the 12:06 mark of the first period. With the goal, Knittig became the second North Star with 20 goals on the season. 

The Broncos (23-25-2-1, 3rd in Nutrien Division) got a big opportunity to cut the deficit to two when Austin Garrett, Keegan Nash and Gavin Granger all took penalties within 42 seconds of each other, resulting in a long 5-on-3 penalty kill. 

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After surviving the long penalty kill, it looked like the North Stars were going to take a two-goal lead into the second period. However, a shot from the point took a couple of bounces before finding the stick of Gabriel Kaminski, who fired it past Kaeden Serpa with just 28 seconds left in the frame to cut the deficit to 2-1. 

After one: 2-1 North Stars 

The lone goal in the period came more than halfway through the frame when Keegan Nash sent a hard pass to the net, finding Carter Geysen who was in perfect posititon to deflect it in past Holtvogt to give the North Stars a 3-1 lead at 12:48. 

Kristian Lacelle took a tripping call near the end of the third period, but the Broncos were able to kill the first portion of the penalty kill for the remainder of the frame. 

After two: 3-1 North Stars 

The Broncos killed the rest of the penalty kill at the beginning of the third. They took a couple more penalties in the final frame, but the North Stars couldn’t capitalize. 

With just under three minutes left to go, the Broncos pulled the goalie and while it seemed like the North Stars spent more time in the offensive zone than the Broncos did, they couldn’t get an empty net goal. However, they could keep the Broncos at bay for the rest of the game and hung on for the win. 

Final score: 3-1 North Stars 

Serpa stopped 40 of the 41 shots he faced in the win.

With the win, the North Stars kept pace with the Yorkton Terriers, staying just one point behind Yorkton for second place in the SJHL. 

The North Stars will now prepare for what could be the biggest weekend of the entire regular season for them when they head into Flin Flon to take on the Bombers next weekend as they continue the hunt for home ice advantage when the playoffs roll around. 

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Ryan.Lambert@pattisonmedia.com