Colton Getzlaff of the North Stars scored his first career SJHL goal Friday night in front of family and friends in town for the North Stars' Parent and Billet Weekend. (Martin Martinson/battlefordsNOW Staff)

By Martin Martinson

Friday night Thriller

North Stars rally to top La Ronge in shootout

Feb 3, 2024 | 2:22 AM

The Battlefords North Stars brought the hometown crowd to the edge of their seats Friday night at the ACC, as the team rallied back from a 3-0 hole on their way to a 5-4 shootout triumph over the visiting La Ronge Ice Wolves.

Colton Getzlaff tallied the first of his SJHL career in the win, and veterans Josh Medernach, Jackson Allan and Brad Blake also scored for the team, while Kian Bell had two assists and the shootout winner.

Matthew MacArthur made 36/40 saves to backstop the North Stars to the victory, going stop-for-stop with Ice Wolves’ goalie Topher Chirico throughout the night, who stopped 43/47 at the other end.

Mason Beuckert led the charge for La Ronge throughout, scoring the opening goal and adding an assist on the night, as the Ice Wolves took a 2-0 lead to the first intermission, on their way to a 3-0 advantage by the midway mark of the second.

Getzlaff’s first in the SJHL got the Battlefords on the board at 3-1, going upstairs short-side to achieve the milestone with friends and family in attendance on the opening night of parent/billet weekend.

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Medernach’s fifth then got the North Stars back to within a single just prior to the second intermission, cashing in for his fifth of the year on the night of his 21^st birthday, to set the table for an epic push by the home-side coming down the stretch in the third.

Allan’s 14^th of the season erased the North Stars’ deficit completely midway through the third, to draw the team back to even for the first time since the 5:35 mark of the opening frame.

However, after Max Henderson’s fourth again put the Ice Wolves ahead late with just under five minutes to go, the North Stars again found themselves in need of heroics – this time courtesy of Brad Blake.

Blake’s 17^th of the year came on a determined net-drive to re-knot the score for good at 4-4 with just three minutes to go, meaning the game was destined for overtime.

Following three minutes of scoreless 3-on-3 sudden death, the night then came down to the shootout to determine a winner.

Blake again scored in the shootout, to give the North Stars a precious 1-0 lead on the first shot for either side. After William Forsberg hit the crossbar for La Ronge, Kian Bell then sliced home the eventual game-winner through the five-hole, to set up the victory on a final save by MacArthur on Beuckert, stretching cross-crease with his pad.

With the victory, the North Stars get back in the win column and snap a two-game slide. Now 30-8-3-1 on the season, with 64 points the team sit seven up on third-place Melfort, and eight back of first-place Flin Flon.

The North Stars and Ice Wolves will meet again Saturday night for part two of their weekend back-to-back in North Battleford. The NAPA Auto Parts North Stars Broadcast will be available on 1050 CJNB with the Ultra Print Pregame Show at 7 p.m. and puck drop to follow at 7:30 p.m.

Scoring summary

First period:

5:35 LAR Mason Bueckert (16) ASST: Ethan Andrews, Lleyton Shearon 1-0 LAR

13:13 LAR Cole Thomas (4) ASST: Seth Dragan, Max Henderson 2-0 LAR

Second period:

10:06 LAR Dylan Handel (10) ASST: Mason Beuckert, Parker Layton (PP) 3-0 LAR

13:20 BAT Colton Getzlaff (1) ASST: Evan Waldie, Kobie Anderson 3-1 LAR

17:08 BAT Josh Medernach (5) ASST: Kian Bell, Brad Blake 3-2 LAR

Third period:

10:55 BAT Jackson Allan (14) ASST: Kian Bell, Alex Izyk (PP) 3-3 Tie

15:44 LAR Max Henderson (4) ASST: Cole Thomas, Seth Dragan 4-3 LAR

16:59 BAT Brad Blake (17) ASST: Alex Izyk 4-4 Tie

Overtime:

No scoring

Shootout:

BAT Brad Blake – Goal

LAR William Forsberg – No goal

BAT Kian Bell – Goal (SO Winner)

LAR Mason Bueckert – No goal

5-4 SO BAT, the final

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Martin.Martinson@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @MartyMartyPxP1