By Martin Martinson

North Stars bring ‘A’ game to showcase

Sep 24, 2018 | 12:10 PM

The Battlefords North Stars beat the La Ronge Ice Wolves 6-3 Sunday night in their first game of the 2018 SJHL Showcase.

The North Stars came out flying from the first shift to the final buzzer in the first period, dominating large portions of play thanks to unrelenting offensive-zone pressure achieved through dogged-determination passing throughout the attacking end of the ice.  

Austin Becker opened the scoring at the 9:42 mark of the first after receiving a pass from defenceman Tanner Scott in stride in the neutral zone. Becker then with three quick strides, was in solo against Ice Wolves’ goaltender, Jordan Frey. Seemingly in one fluid motion, the Amery, Wisconsin native, Becker, faked the 18-year-old goalie, Frey and slipped the puck home on the backhand. For the North Stars, it marked only the second time they have opened the scoring in a game this season.

Becker’s goal was his first of the year, and first ever in the SJHL. Fellow American, Ryan Gil made sure to retrieve the puck from the back of the net, flipping it to North Stars’ trainer, Andrew Kutnikoff for safe keeping.

Almost exactly two minutes later, Stars’ forward Braydon Buziak gave his team their first two-goal-lead of the season, scoring his second of the year, and first at even strength. The scoring play came courtesy of winger, Elijah Loon-Stewardson and defenceman Seth Summers.

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At the end of the first period, it was the Battlefords North Stars leading the game 2-0.

The Ice Wolves, no doubt eager for the opportunity to flip the script on the North Stars and apply some offensive pressure of their own in the second period, looked to do just that early.

Six-foot-six, mountain-of-a-man, Ethan King officially declared the Wolves’ response just under two minutes into the second frame of action. Off a scramble draw deep in the North Stars’ end, King snapped the puck through traffic, and almost as if the puck itself had eyes, it found its way past the Stars’ goaltender, and brought La Ronge within a shot of tying things up.

The Ice Wolves’ comeback bit would be short lived, however, as Matthias Urbanski would answer back for the black, white and silver at the 8:43 mark of the period, scoring after an excellent play made at the offensive blue line by Stars’ captain, Cody Spagrud to hold the puck in the zone, sending a shot toward the maze of bodies congregated in front of the La Ronge net. Spagrud’s shot would be knocked down in front, right in front of Olds, Alberta’s own, Regan Doig. Doig would then astutely look off the shot, and elect instead to spin a pass to the side of the yawning cage where an awaiting Urbanski would tally his third goal in as many games.

Mitch Zambon who entered play red-hot for the Ice Wolves, boasting a combined six points through his first two games, continued his sterling play, as the 6’3 power forward lit the lamp at the 13:07 mark of the second.

Elijah Loon-Stewardson became the latest veteran returnee to score his first of the year late in the second period, when he snapped home a goal on the power play thanks to some nice passing and puck possession shown by Ryan Gil and Elijah’s brother, Quintin Loon-Stewardson to set the elder Loon-Stewardson up in front.

The third period looked for the most-part to be a carbon copy of the first period. Owen Lamb scored under a minute into the regulation-time-period to make it 5-2 Stars.

Then after La Ronge captain, Kolby Johnson brought his team back to within a couple, Brett Gammer would strike, sealing the Ice Wolves fate for good, and adding an exclamation-mark to the night’s win, as it was the Edmonton, Alta. natives’ first career goal in the SJHL.

Goaltender Jake Davidson, who grew up in Osler, SK, just under 10 minutes up the road from Warman, where the game was held,  made several nice saves throughout the game to secure the victory for his team, and in only his second-career game, collect his first win in the SJHL. Matthias Urbanski insightfully grabbed the puck at the final buzzer and gave it to the young North Stars goaltender as a memento from the special evening.

The North Stars will look to build on Sunday night’s success on Tuesday morning, when the Stars are back in action for their second game of the SJHL Showcase, facing the Weyburn Red Wings for the first time this season. The game will be an early one, with pregame at 9:45 a.m. and puck drop to follow at 10 a.m.

Scoring summary

First period:

9:42 BAT Austin Becker (1) ASST: Tanner Scott

11:41 BAT Braydon Buziak (2) ASST: Elijah Loon-Stewardson (2), Seth Summers (1)

Second period:

1:47 LAR Ethan King (1) ASST: None

8:43 BAT Matthias Urbanski (3) ASST: Regan Doig (1), Cody Spagrud (3)

13:07 LAR Mitch Zambon (3) ASST: Zach Bannister (3)

18:35 BAT Elijah Loon-Stewardson (1) ASST: Ryan Gil (1), Quintin Loon-Stewardson (1) (PP)

Third period:

0:58 BAT Owen Lamb (1) ASST: Seth Summers (2)

13:03 LAR Kolby Johnson (1) ASST: Mitch Zambon (5), Ben Manson (1)

19:23 BAT Brett Gammer (1) ASST: None (EN)

Martin.Martinson@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: MartyMartyPxP1