By Nathan Kanter

North Stars win 1st preseason game on the road

Sep 4, 2016 | 9:32 AM

The Battlefords North Stars triumphed in their first preseason game in a game which pleased both sides. 

The North Stars edged the win against the Bonnyville Pontiacs 4-3 on Saturday, Sept. 3. Both coaches seemed pleased with how their relatively young lineups performed. 

“I think our young guys were nervous and obviously rightfully so – they’re trying to make a really good hockey team,” North Stars head coach Nate Bedford said following the game. “As soon as the puck dropped I certainly loosened up and I think then the guys did. It was a good win.”

“I thought it was a real great test. It was a fast affair,” Pontiacs head coach and general manager Rick Swan said. “It allowed us to see what we have to work with, number one, and [to see] who is ready to be able to play at this level every single day. I think we got exactly that.”

The North Stars got off to a quick start, generating several chances within the first few minutes as well as three powerplays before the 10-minute mark.

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Bedford said it was the start they wanted. “The first 10 minutes I thought were great and then the last part of the first period I thought we got complacent.”

Despite controlling play early, the North Stars found themselves trailing nine minutes in after a shot from the slot beat goaltender Ryan Rewerts.

Rewerts managed to regain momentum at the start of the second period when he slid from post to post to rob the Pontiacs of another goal with his glove.

“I thought it was in,” Bedford said. “From a goalie standpoint, I didn’t think he had a chance to get that. It was good because the first one I think he’d like to have back so I thought that was a big momentum changer for us. Our bench certainly livened up after that.”

Just over a minute after that save, North Star left-winger Tysen Smith tipped home a shot to tie the game.

It was a hotly contested second period which ended 3-2 in the North Stars favour. MacGregor Sinclair and Connor McIntosh landed the North Stars goals in the span of 1:24.

Following the game, McIntosh said although the team played well, specifically physically, there’s still lots of work to be done.

“We [needed to] settle it down a little bit,” McIntosh, who was playing in his first junior A game, said. “We were a little bit sloppy but we picked it up as the game went on.”

In the third, it was a North Stars powerplay goal from Troy Gerein which increased the visitors lead to two. The goal eventually held up as the game-winner, as the North Stars took their first preseason game 4-3.

On Sunday evening the Pontiacs will be the ones hitting the road, as they travel to North Battleford for a rematch at the Civic Centre.

As far as lineup changes for the North Stars go, it will be the veterans from Saturday who now get the night off: Kendall Fransoo, Connor Menagre and Connor Spagrud won’t play, meaning Ryan Rosenberg, Connor Sych and Levi Kleiboer will be in.

Up front, Bryce Hall, Troy Gerein and and Tysen Smith won’t play while Layne Young, Keaton Holinaty and Connor Logan will dress.

In goal, young Dawson Rodin will get the nod.

Puck drop is set for 7 p.m.

Nathan Kanter is battlefordsNOW’s sports reporter and voice of the Battlefords North Stars. He can be reached at Nathan.kanter@jpbg.ca or tweet him @NathanKanter11