The Battlefords North Stars’ exploded for four goals in the third period Sunday, as the team has now lit the lamp 21 times through their opening four games. (Martin Martinson/battlefordsNOW Staff)

By Martin Martinson

Stars on a roll

Stars score four, soar to victory vs. Wings

Sep 23, 2019 | 12:45 AM

Entering play on a roll and brim with confidence, the Battlefords North Stars continued their hot streak Sunday night, defeating the Weyburn Red Wings 4-1 in Warman, on opening night of the league showcase.

With the win, the Stars stretch their hot start to the season to a perfect 4-0 record through their opening four games.

Brett Gammer, Austin Becker, Kaden Boser and Quintin Loon-Stewardson scored for the team, while goaltender Parker Rey stopped 19/20 shots he faced to earn the win in his North Stars’ debut.

“It was definitely exciting being out there,” Rey said of his first start following the game. “The boys were playing good in front of me, and they were getting lots of shots to the [opposition] net, just none of them were going in until the third,” he added with a laugh.

Despite firing 18 shots at the Weyburn goal in the opening period alone, and outshooting the Red Wings 31-14 through the first two periods, the North Stars were unable to buy a goal through the first two-thirds of the night. The game remained a scoreless tie through 40 minutes of play.

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The offensive damn would burst in the third however, as the Battlefords’ persistent pressure on the attack resulted in an early-period goal.

Brett Gammer opened the scoring just 1:26 into the final frame.

Serving almost as poetic justice, Gammer’s goal was a power play tally that came with Red Wings’ forward Taylor Schmidt in the box. Schmidt was in the midst of serving a four-minute double-minor for high-sticking Gammer late in the second period.

Stars’ forward, Brett Gammer was awarded Player of the Game honours for his performance Sunday, highlighted by the sophomore’s ice-breaking goal to give his team the lead in the third. (Martin Martinson/battlefordsNOW Staff)

About six minutes after the initial ice breaker, Austin Becker made it 2-0 Stars on a wicked wrist shot that beat the goalie clean from in tight.

The goal marked the 19-year-old’s fifth in four games this season, as the Amery, WI., product has now scored at least a single goal through each of the opening four games.

Stars’ forward Kaden Boser continued the trend of veterans pitching in on the night, notching his second of the season to make it 3-0 Battlefords. Matthias Urbanski and Seth Summers picked up the assists on the marker.

For Summers, who had also picked up a helper on each of the two goals prior, the assist marked his third point on the night.

Weyburn forward Liam Rutten would score to make it 3-1 on a power play midway through the period, but that is as close as the Bruins would get in their comeback effort.

Stars’ forward Quintin Loon-Stewardson capped the scoring late, converting a nice pass from Elijah Loon-Stewardson off the post and in to make it 4-1. Loon-Stewardson’s goal served as the sophomore’s third of the season.

The North Stars will now get Monday off to rest and regroup before returning to action Tuesday afternoon against the Flin Flon Bombers.

Tuesday’s game will be broadcast on 1050 CJNB. The Ultra-Print Pregame Show will begin at 12:45 p.m. with puck drop at 1 p.m.

Scoring summary

First period:

No scoring.

Second period:

No scoring.

Third period:

1:26 BAT Brett Gammer (2) ASST: Seth Summers (2), Rylan Nivon (5) (PP)

7:40 BAT Austin Becker (5) ASST: Seth Summers (3)

8:04 BAT Kaden Boser (2) ASST: Matthias Urbanski (2), Seth Summers (4)

9:27 WEY Liam Rutten (1) ASST: Braden Birnie (3) (PP)

17:09 BAT Quintin Loon-Stewardson (3) ASST: Elijah Loon-Stewardson (3), Noah Form (3)

4-1 North Stars, the final.

—

Martin.Martinson@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: MartyMartyPxP1