Stars forward Bailey Shortall (#22) picked up his first career SJHL point in his North Stars' debut Saturday, assisting on Tanner Gold's first of the season. (Martin Martinson/battlefordsNOW Staff)

By Martin Martinson

Weekend series split

Special teams the difference in North Stars’ 5-3 loss to Klippers

Sep 24, 2023 | 1:02 AM

Despite firing 48 shots at the opposition goal – including 21 in the first period alone – the Battlefords North Stars fell 5-3 to the division rival Klippers, Saturday night in Kindersley.

While dominant for large stretches of play throughout the night, the Stars ran into a hot goaltender in Logan Falk, who laid the groundwork for his team’s success with a 45-save performance, while special teams play also made the difference.

Of Kindersley’s five goals on the night, four came via the power play, with the lone exception being the final goal of the game, into the empty net. The Stars by contrast, were unable to capitalize on the man advantage in six opportunities, despite some strong looks.

Klippers’ forward Cash Arntsen scored two of his team’s man advantage markers, opening the scoring with his first of the night on a rebound goal at the edge of the crease, to make it 1-0 Kindersley with just under three minutes to go in the opening period.

Logan Cox, who also had a pair of power play strikes, then stretched the lead to 2-0 Klippers on a deflection in front, to give his team an insurance marker just passed the midway mark of the second, on a second consecutive power play goal.

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Determined to not let the game slip away, the North Stars did answer back with one of their own just a minute later, when Bailey Shortall found captain Tanner Gold for a shot from the left point for his first, to get the Stars back to within a single at 2-1, where the score would remain into the second intermission.

After Cox’ second of the game made it 3-1 Klippers on another power play strike a minute into the third, the Stars again answered back quickly – this time just 25 seconds later – as Brayden Sinclair notched his first in a North Stars uniform to get the team back in it, trailing 3-2.

Arntsen’s second of the game marked the fourth and final power play marker from the Klippers, coming just a minute after the Sinclair goal to re-establish the two-goal buffer for his team. This time Arntsen converted a feed out of the corner from right-winger Zakery Anderson.

Carson Olsen’s first of his SJHL career marked the final goal for the Battlefords on the night, firing a wrister just inside the far post while streaking down the right wing. This again got the Stars back to within a goal at 4-3, though that is as close as the team would get.

North Stars defenseman Carson Olsen is swarmed by teammates after scoring his first career SJHL goal Saturday. (Martin Martinson/battlefordsNOW Staff)

Klippers’ rookie defenseman Grady Hauk iced the game with the 5-3 goal into the empty net, as Kindersley’s lone tally to come outside of their prolific power play.

Stars’ first-year goaltender Cedric Cyr-Dauphinais made a couple of excellent saves to keep his team close right to the end, ultimately stopping 22/26 in his debut with the team.

With the loss, the Stars split their opening weekend series with the Klippers at a game apiece, now each with a 1-1-0 record to start the year.

The North Stars will now get the better part of a week to rest up and regroup ahead of their return to play Thursday in Yorkton. The start of a three-games in three-nights road swing, the Stars will play Yorkton both Thursday and Friday night, and then face Melville Saturday.

The NAPA Auto Parts North Stars Hockey Broadcast will be available Thursday on 1050 CJNB, with the Ultra Print Pregame Show at 6:30 p.m. and puck drop to follow at 7 p.m.

Scoring summary

First period:

17:43 KIN Cash Arntsen (1) ASST: Danton Cox, Logan Linklater (PP) 1-0 KIN

Second period:

12:33 KIN Logan Cox (1) ASST: Austin Osiowy, Kayden Ostrom (PP) 2-0 KIN

13:41 BAT Tanner Gold (1) ASST: Bailey Shortall 2-1 KIN

Third period:

1:15 KIN Logan Cox (2) ASST: Braden Ivey (PP) 3-1 KIN

1:38 BAT Brayden Sinclair (1) ASST: Andrew Casellato 3-2 KIN

2:24 KIN Cash Arntsen (2) ASST: Zakery Anderson, Danton Cox (PP) 4-2 KIN

14:16 BAT Carson Olsen (1) ASST: Andrew Casellato 4-3 KIN

19:30 KIN Grady Hauk (1) ASST: None (EN) 5-3 KIN

5-3 Kindersley, the final

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Martin.Martinson@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @MartyMartyPxP1