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North Stars pounded by Terriers in first loss of season

Sep 21, 2016 | 6:32 AM

The season may be just three games old, but the North Stars are about to face their first real test of the season after falling handily to the Yorkton Terriers 5-1 on Tuesday.

It’s the team’s first loss of the season, but it wasn’t just any old loss as they finished the game utterly deflated.

The shots on goal may have told a different story than the score – the North Stars outshot the home side 41-26 – but to anyone witnessing the game in person, it was clear the effort, especially in the third, just wasn’t there.

Many of the Battlefords’ shots on Tuesday were from the perimeter, and although Terriers goalie Greg Maggio looked strong, he wasn’t forced to be spectacular and he by no means stole the game.

Helping the home side get their first win of the year was captain Corwin Stevely and centre Brandon Sookro. Stevely notched a pair of helpers and was energetic all night, while Sookro scored twice, including the first goal of the game just 1:07 into the first period.

The top line for the North Stars was different on Tuesday, as Jeremy Velazquez joined Connor Logan and Layne Young, but the line as a whole was ordinary, failing to get clean looks and often getting their sticks lifted or their shots blocked when opportunities presented themselves.

A bright spot was Reed Delainey, who created space on his own and scored the North Stars only goal on a man advantage in the first. It was his second goal in as many games.

Goaltender Ryan Rewerts of the North Stars allowed five goals on 26 shots.

The question now is, how will the team respond?

Big roster changes will likely be made for Wednesday’s game in Melville against the Millionaires in the hopes that the team gets the message, while the effort level undoubtedly needs to be significantly higher.

Melville dropped their first two games of the season, 5-0 and 4-2 to the Estevan Bruins in a home-and-home, but then again, the Terriers were also winless before defeating the North Stars by four goals.

NorSask North Stars radio continues on Wednesday, as the road game can be heard live on CJNB/CJNS, with the Ultra Print pre-game show getting way at 7:15 p.m.

Puck drop is set for 7:30 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