Stars fall to Hounds

Still not satisfied, and back on the power play to close out the first, the Hounds then went on to add an extra insurance marker thanks to Nolan Renwick’s fifth of the year; a seeing-eye shot that somehow found it’s way too, past into the Stars’ twine.

Marshall Wilton, who entered play with a team-leading 14 points through 13 games, picked up two of what would eventually be three, of his primary helpers in the opening frame.

Coming out for the second, the team from Wilcox, Sask., would only continue to frustrate the home-side, once again capitalizing on a power play, for the third time on the night, courtesy of a Charles Martin hammer-shot, launched to the top corner off the smoking-gun stick of 20-year-old defenseman, Charles Martin.

Down 4-0 on home ice, with not a whole lot to show for their efforts, the Stars would find themselves in desperate need of their patented resiliency in the face of adversity. Just over a single minute into the middle period, that resiliency would manifest itself in the form of Stars’ heart-and-soul veteran, Owen Lamb.

After deflecting a shot from the point the first time, the Battlefords’ hometown product would put the puck back to the blueline once again for another shot – this time off the blade of Seth Summers. All it took was some innate instinct to take over and a prime showcase of hand-eye coordination and Lamb would deliver, tipping the puck past the hopeless goaltender and giving the fans a reason to cheer.

Unfortunately for North Stars’ fans, the celebration was short-lived.

Less than a minute later, it was once again the Hounds, etching their name on the scorecard, thanks to the captain, Jared Hamm’s eighth tally of the season.

Seeing just about enough, on the following shift, veteran Braydon Buziak would take matters into his own hands – and throw hands – with soon to be 18-year-old, Cole Stevenson, peppering his man’s face with frustration and raw aggression, while also hoping to, at the same time, provide his team with the spark they needed.

Buziak’s display appeared to have the desired effect.

Late in the second period, with the Stars once again on the penalty kill, MacGregor Sinclair, one of the team’s offensive linchpins, would channel his inner Dougie Gilmour. Twisting and turning in behind the opposition goal, Sinclair would bury the wraparound bid just beating out the big pillowed pad of the Hounds’ desperate goalie.

Trailing 5-2 heading into the third, the North Stars would find their true identity fans have gotten to know and love in the second intermission, showing no shortage of self-belief in the tall task at hand, the Stars came out and dominated the third. However, despite a goal just prior to the mid-way mark, thanks to the captain Cody Spagrud, and a shoot first, ask questions later mantra that saw the team muster a 17-3 advantage on the shot count in the period, it would ultimately not be enough to overcome the dogs on this night.

The North Stars will get right back into action tomorrow night, with a shot at redemption against another division-rival, in the form of the visiting Humboldt Broncos. Pregame will be at 7:15 p.m. with puck drop to follow at 7:30 p.m.

Scoring summary

First period:

8:41 ND Kyle Robinson (3) ASST: Marshall Wilton (10) (PP)

15:25 ND Tanner Tarbell (5) ASST: Cole Golden (3)

19:15 ND Nolan Renwick (5) ASST: Marshall Wilton (11) (PP)

Second period:

0:35 ND Charles Martin (4) ASST: Marshall Wilton (12) (PP)

1:07 BAT Owen Lamb (7) ASST: Seth Summers (6)

1:54 ND Jared Hamm (8) ASST: Noah Bankowski (6), Qaritaq Kusugak-clark (2)

16:15 BAT MacGregor Sinclair (7) ASST: None.

Third period

7:56 BAT Cody Spagrud (4) ASST: MacGregor Sinclair (15), Mattias Urbanski (12)

Martin.Martinson@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: MartyMartyPxP1

by Martin Martinson

Stars fall to Hounds

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