Home Opener Game Summary

The Battlefords North Stars split their home-and-home weekend series with the Kindersley Klippers. Saturday night, the Stars weathered an early storm of penalties and beat their rivals 9-5.

The Klippers quickly grabbed a 2-0 lead. Taylor Duzan and Jordan Braid scored on the power-play, and the Stars couldn’t avoid the penalty box. The referee called five straight penalties on the Stars, and the fans did not react kindly.

But the Klippers only potted two, and the Stars finally gained some momentum back. Jesse Lebreton scored his first of the year on a back-hand shot from the high slot. Cody Folstad would tie things up on a powerplay, and the Stars and Klips were tied at 2 after one period of play.

The second period was all Stars. Ryan Andersen scored 27 seconds into the period, and the flood-gates opened. Blake Peake, Blake Tatchell, Boyd Wakelin, Justin Waskewitch, and Josh Daley all scored afterwards, and the Stars led 8-2.

Klipper’s coach Larry Wintoneak pulled goaltender Riley Ross at 2:18 of the second period in favor of Josh Thorimbert, but put him back in at 4:02. Ross was pulled again at the 5:00 mark, and Thorimbert finished the game.

Steven Turner would add a late power-play goal late in the second to move the deficit to 5.

Jordan Braid and Taylor Duzan would score in the third for Kindersley, and Ryan Andersen scored another for the Stars to push the score to 9-5.

Kindersley finished the game 5 for 12 on the man advantage, the Stars were 3 for 8.

Up next for the Stars, a Tuesday home game against the La Ronge Ice Wolves. The puck drops at 7:30.