Steven Kesslering scored a pair of goals Tuesday night, to give him a league-leading eight this season. (Martin Martinson/battlefordsNOW Staff)

By Martin Martinson

6-3 victory, Tuesday

North Stars track down eighth straight win in La Ronge

Oct 5, 2022 | 12:49 AM

The Battlefords North Stars extended their season-opening winning streak to eight-straight games Tuesday, with a 6-3 victory over the Ice Wolves in La Ronge.

Veteran forward, Steven Kesslering led the way with a pair of goals in the win, while goalie, Josh Kotai stopped 37 of 40 shots, Kobie Anderson added the first of his SJHL career, and Jordan Gibbs, Holden Doell, and Kian Bell also scored a goal apiece.

Goalie, Josh Kotai picked up where he left off following a rare night’s rest Friday, stopping 37 shots in the Stars’ win in La Ronge. (Martin Martinson/battlefordsNOW Staff)

Gibbs’ third of the season opened the scoring in the first, on a shot from the blue line off a clean faceoff win in the offensive zone by centre, Marshall Light. Drawing the puck back to the defence, Tynan Ewart then fed Gibbs for the shot from the point for the 1-0 goal midway through the period.

Less than a minute later, Doell’s first of the season stretched the lead to 2-0 Battlefords on a quick-release wrister from the mid-slot to make it 2-0 in the blink of an eye.

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After Ryley Morgan made it a 2-1 game on his first of the year, on a La Ronge power play just under two minutes into the second, the Stars again answered the call with a timely response.

Bell tapped home his fourth of the season – in just his fourth game – converting on a Jake Southgate feed just outside the crease to give his team an insurance marker at 3-1.

Trenton Curtis tallied his first as an Ice Wolf midway through the period on another La Ronge power play, to again keep his team in the game, at 3-2.

However, only a minute and-a-half later, Kesslering’s first of the night would come on a backhand deke in-tight to re-up the Stars’ cushion at 4-2.

Serving as his seventh of the young season, Kesslering tied teammate Keiton Klein and Flin Flon forward, Cole Duperreault atop the league’s goal leaders with the marker, eventually to take sole possession of the goals lead on the empty netter to seal the night’s action at the end of the game.

Stars blue liner, Jordan Gibbs seen mixing it up Tuesday, also scored his third goal of the season in just his seventh game. (Martin Martinson/battlefordsNOW)

In the third, Ice Wolves’ forward, Flynn Maxcy cashed in for his second in three games this year to make it a one-goal contest again at 4-3, though that is as close as La Ronge would come on the night.

Anderson’s first of his SJHL career made it a 5-3 game on a slick wrist shot at the 12:30 mark of the third, with the puck quickly retrieved by teammate, Jordan Gibbs to be kept as a special memento of the occasion.

Kesslering’s aforementioned empty netter then capped the scoring at 6-3.

The North Stars will return to action this weekend in North Battleford for back-to-backs Friday and Saturday against Weyburn, to open an eight-game home stand this month.

Due to the Rider game, Friday’s NAPA Auto Parts North Stars Broadcast will be available on 93.3 The Rock. The Ultra Print Pregame Show will begin at 7 p.m., with puck drop at 7:30 p.m.

Scoring summary

First period:

10:24 BAT Jordan Gibbs (3) ASST: Tynan Ewart (6), Marshall Light (1)

11:04 BAT Holden Doell (1) ASST: Zane Florence (2), Tanner Gold (5)

Second period:

1:50 LAR Ryley Morgan (1) ASST: Ethan Strik (3), Walker Jerome (3) (PP)

4:11 BAT Kian Bell (4) ASST: Jake Southgate (5), Jordan Gibbs (4)

11:10 LAR Trenton Curtis (1) ASST: Ethan Strik (4), Ryley Morgan (10) (PP)

12:22 BAT Steven Kesslering (7) ASST: Jackson Allan (5)

Third period:

7:37 LAR Flynn Maxcy (2) ASST: Thomas Wright (1), Parker Layton (2)

12:30 BAT Kobie Anderson (1) ASST: Zane Florence (3), Tynan Ewart (7)

17:38 BAT Steven Kesslering (8) ASST: Ryan Taylor (1)

6-3 North Stars, the final

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Martin.Martinson@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @MartyMartyPxP1