Stars Pass Mid-Season Test With A Four-Point Weekend.

Heading into the weekend, the Battlefords North Stars were facing a big test. Win at least two games, and you proove that you belong in the top half of the your division. Some losses and all of a sudden you're back in the middle of the pack.
 
The North Stars did not dissapoint. This weekend they grabbed four of a possible six points, and did so without the services of their captain Mitch Wall.
 
Sunday night in Humboldt, the North Stars found a way. They trailed 4-3 late in the game, until Jesse Lebreton's point-shot somehow found the back of the net. 65 minutes solved nothing, and a shootout was needed. Blake Peake and Josh Daley scored consecutively for the Stars who defeated their rivals from Humboldt 5-4.
 
Blake Peake, Boyd Wakelin and Dominic Perrault scored the other goals for the North Stars in regulation.
 
Spencer Braaten scored twice for Humboldt, while Cam Gibson and Kenton Valliant also chimed in for Humboldt. Valliant's goal came early in the third period to make it 4-3 Humboldt, and it was one that Kyle Birch wanted back. Kyle made several big saves for the team down the stretch to keep it close, and made two nice stops in the shootout against Gibson and Justin Buzzeo.
 
Saturday night in Yorkton, the Stars got off to a slow start. They had to kill of three penalties in a row early, and were able to do so thanks to great goaltending from Graham Hilldebrand.
 
Momentum changed for good though when the North Stars had a goal dissallowed. Ryan Andersen knocked home a rebound, but a quick whistle from the official haulted any celebration, and Yorkton was able to hang on for the 2-1 win at home.
 
Ward Szucki scored the lone goal for the visitors.
 
Friday night in Melville, Josh Daley paced the Stars with five points. Daley's two goals and three assists were more than enough to guide the Stars to a 7-3 win over the Millionaires.
 
Blake Peake scored twice, and Shay Neufeld, Troy Watt and Cody Folstad contributed offensively for the Stars too.
 
Mid-way through the first period, Stars captain Mitch Wall had a spirited fight with Mil's defenceman Tyler Howe. The two combatants traded blows with Howe finally able to wrestle Wall to the ice. Wall didn't take another shift in the game, and was taken to a Melville hospital. Wall will be missing for the next four weeks (at least) with an injury to his jaw.
 
Overall the weekend has to be considered a success for the Stars who remain in second place in the Bauer Conference, and now get set for a tough week which includes a Tuesday home game against the Bauer division leaders from Flin Flon.
 
A win against the Bombers on Tuesday night, and the Stars are back within two points of the Bombers for first in the division. See you at the Civic Center at 7:30 on Tuesday because this will be a game that nobody will want to miss.