North Stars' forward Hunter Burgeson tangles on a faceoff with Humboldt's Spencer Bell. (Martin Martinson/battlefordsNOW Staff)

By Martin Martinson

Drop sixth straight

North Stars fall 6-4 to Broncos, despite late surge

Mar 9, 2024 | 12:47 AM

The Battlefords North Stars saw their late-season woes continue Friday, dropping their sixth straight in a 6-4 loss to the Humboldt Broncos in North Battleford.

Perhaps most concerning for the team, the loss marks the eighth straight game – and 14th time in their last 15 games – the Stars have allowed at least four goals against, or more.

A 1-0 Broncos’ lead just 3:20 into the first on Spencer Bell’s league-leading 42^nd of the season, the tally stood as the lone goal for either side through the opening period.

North Stars’ captain, Tanner Gold tied the game 1-1 just over five minutes into the second, breaking up a Broncos’ cycle down low before leading the rush the other way, firing home his 11^th of the year for his first of three points on the night (one goal, two assists).

However, two quick goals over the next four minutes from Broncos Jacob Strizzi and Brayden Skogstad, saw the visitors pull away quickly from there, to make it 3-1 at the end of 40 minutes.

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In the third, Humboldt captain Cage Newans’ 21^st and Strizzi’s second of the night and fourth of the season, blew the doors off the game to make it 5-1 midway through the final frame, before a late push did get the Battlefords back in it, though a little too late.

Kian Bell’s 34th from Gold and Ben Portner sparked the North Stars’ comeback bid, followed by Portner’s 27th of his own, from Brad Blake and Josh Medernach. Coming on the power play, the latter cut the deficit to 5-3, signaling a glimmer of hope for the team.

Medernach’s eighth of the campaign even got the Battlefords back to within a single, down 5-4 with just a minute to go, though the ticking clock would ultimately turn into an enemy late.

Forced to continue their push for the tying goal with the extra attacker late, Broncos’ forward Marik Mamic iced the game with his 12^th of the year into the empty net, to make it a 6-4 Humboldt final.

With the loss, the North Stars are now 33-15-5 through 53 games, and see Humboldt leapfrog them into third overall in the league standings, falling to fourth. The Stars will get a shot at redemption Saturday, with a chance to retake third-place with a win in the rematch.

Night two of the teams’ home-and-home Saturday in Humboldt, will be available on 1050 CJNB. The NAPA Auto Parts North Stars Broadcast will begin with the Ultra Print Pregame Show at 6:30 p.m., with puck drop to follow at 7 p.m.

Scoring summary

First period:

3:20 HUM Spencer Bell (42) ASST: Ben Costantino, Cage Newans 1-0 HUM

Second period:

5:17 BAT Tanner Gold (11) ASST: Jackson Allan, Josh Medernach 1-1 Tie

7:33 HUM Jacob Strizzi (3) ASST: None 2-1 HUM

9:15 HUM Brayden Skogstad (10) ASST: Dylan Nazareth, Landen Stromme 3-1 HUM

Third period:

6:16 HUM Cage Newans (21) ASST: Spencer Bell 4-1 HUM

11:09 HUM Jacob Strizzi (4) ASST: Maddox Amaral, Connor Miller 5-1 HUM

12:35 BAT Kian Bell (34) ASST: Tanner Gold, Ben Portner 5-2 HUM

16:28 BAT Ben Portner (27) ASST: Brad Blake, Josh Medernach (PP) 5-3 HUM

18:56 BAT Josh Medernach (8) ASST: Tanner Gold, Kian Bell 5-4 HUM

19:33 HUM Marik Mamic (12) ASST: Matthew Van Blaricom 6-4 HUM

6-4 HUM, the final

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Martin.Martinson@pattisonmedia.com

On X: @MartyMartyPxP1