Stars’ goaltender, Parker Rey is congratulated by captain, Matthew Fletcher after stopping all 34 shots he faced on the night to earn his second shutout in his last two starts. (Martin Martinson/battlefordsNOW Staff)

By Martin Martinson

Bucking the Broncos

North Stars show horsepower in 3-0 blanking of Broncos

Nov 6, 2019 | 12:20 AM

It is said that 13 is an unlucky number, but for the Battlefords North Stars, the number suits them just fine.

The Stars blanked the rival Humboldt Broncos 3-0 Tuesday night at the Civic Centre, to earn their 13^th straight win, in the teams’ opening matchup of the season-series this year.

With the victory, the North Stars also improve to 20-1 on the season.

Stars’ goaltender Parker Rey led the way for his team, stopping all 34 shots he faced on the night to earn his second career SJHL shutout, and second over his last two starts.

‘Rey-zor’ sharp: Parker Rey has stopped all 66 shots he has faced over his last two starts, while also picking up an additional win in a relief effort, sandwiched between his pair of shutout victories for the Battlefords. (Martin Martinson/battlefordsNOW Staff)

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Offensively, Matthias Urbanski chipped in the game-winner on the night, while Quintin Loon-Stewardson cashed in for a pair of goals as well, to cement the win for the home team.

The first period saw neither side break through on the scorecard, but the stalemate was not due to a lack of action.

Just 2:08 into the game, Broncos’ goalie Michael Harroch, who started the contest, was forced to leave the night’s action after landing awkwardly on a sprawling save.

In place, fellow first-year netminder Brendan Forman came on in relief in the Broncos’ goal. Faring well, Forman would go on to stop 30 of 32 shots in the loss, after only seeing eight pucks in the opening frame.

The goalie’s ease into action came because the puck, through the first period, was held mostly in the Stars’ zone.

Parker Rey stopped 17 Broncos’ shots in the first, keeping the contest a scoreless affair into the middle period.

Then, at the 14:51 mark of the second, the Stars broke through to open the scoring.

Converting on a power play opportunity, Matthias Urbanski was the man to bring the crowd to their feet in celebration, capitalizing on his eighth of the season.

The goal came after defenceman, Noah Form rushed the puck down the boards and threw a centering feed in front, tipped first by Gammer and then put home by Urbanski, for the all-important first goal of the night; 1-0 Stars.

The game remained 1-0 to the end of the second.

Despite a turnaround in play that saw the Stars fire 13 pucks on goal in the period, Humboldt still held the lead in shots for the night, 25-21 heading into the third.

In the third period, though, the Stars picked up right where they left off. Quintin Loon-Stewardson cashed in for his first of the game and 14^th of the season at the 1:26 mark of the frame, as the goal came as the result of an odd-man-rush.

Stars’ teammate, Brett Gammer led the rush up ice on a two-on-one on the power play, with Quintin Loon-Stewardson quickly on his horse to join him.

Spotting his man driving the front of the goal, Gammer waited for the lone Broncos’ defenceman to leave his skates, before then sliding the puck on the backhand underneath the sprawling blue liner and into Loon-Stewardson’s wheelhouse.

Loon-Stewardson corralled the centering feed and, all in one motion, released a laser to the top of the net for the goal to make it 2-0 Battlefords.

Still not done, Loon-Stewardson would then go on to also add another on the night, picking up his 15th on an empty net tally late to cap the evening off at 3-0 Stars.

Quintin Loon-Stewardson (#22), pictured here celebrating with teammates following the forward’s second goal of the night Tuesday evening. Loon-Stewardson’s second of the game and 15th of the season means the forward has now chalked up four-straight multipoint performances. The 19-year-old has collected five goals, eight points over the span. (Martin Martinson/battlefordsNOW Staff)

The North Stars will now get a few days off, before the team returns to action Friday night against the Melfort Mustangs in Melfort.

Friday’s game will be broadcast on 1050 CJNB. The Ultra Print Pregame Show will begin at 7:15 p.m. with puck drop at 7:30 p.m. on NAPA North Stars Hockey.

Scoring summary

First period:

No scoring

Second period:

14:51 BAT Matthias Urbanski (8) ASST: Brett Gammer (10), Noah Form (9)

Third period:

1:26 BAT Quintin Loon-Stewardson (14) ASST: Brett Gammer (11) (PP)

18:44 BAT Quintin Loon-Stewardson (15) ASST: Rylan Nivon (17) (EN)

3-0 North Stars, the Final.

—

Martin.Martinson@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: MartyMartyPxP1