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North Stars’ second period push enough to down Mustangs

Oct 5, 2016 | 6:19 AM

Make it three times now over the past nine days that the North Stars defeated the Melfort Mustangs.

Tuesday’s 3-1 victory at the Civic Centre follows Saturday’s 4-0 thumping, which in turn was just six days after last Saturday’s 4-0 shutout win.

Of the three, Tuesday’s was certainly the closest, but it really wasn’t that close, as the shots favoured Battlefords 45-27.

The previous two wins dominated 4-0 shutouts, and this one looked to be headed that way after the North Stars scored a flurry of early second period goals to lead 3-0.

First it was Connor Logan squeaking in a rebound, then Logan Nachtegaele putting home a two-on-one pass, before captain Kendall Fransoo finished things off after a give and go on the power play.

But before those five minutes of back-to-back-to-back goals, there was no question the North Stars struggled.

“The [first] period wasn’t our best,” associate coach Braeden Johnson said following the win. “The two things that’s in our control every game is our preparation and our effort and I think in the first period we definitely lacked both. As a collective group we have to address that.”

After one period, the game was scoreless and the shots just 7-6.

For a team that has struggled with consistency game in and game out, there was no question that the second period rebound was a relief.

“I think we addressed things in the intermission,” Johnson said. “We talked about pride. When you’re playing in front of the home crowd, from a guy that has been in this town for a while, I think we speak from passion.

“We were a little bit disappointed from the way we started but we were happy with how the guys responded.”

The win improves the club record to 6-3-0 and it’s just the second time this season the team recorded two wins in a row.

Meanwhile the Mustangs have now dropped six straight games, after opening their season 3-0.

“I really thought we had a bounce back today,” Mustangs head coach Trevor Blevins said. “We obviously had some miscues and what not. You’ve got to give some credit to Battlefords, they’ve got a very strong defense.”

The lopsided 45-27 shot total is becoming a common sight for the North Stars: every single game this year they made more shots on goal than their opponent.

Before Tuesday’s game, their average shots on goal differential was +14, and a positive margin of 18 can now be added to that. Even the mighty Humboldt Broncos, who are 7-1-0 this season, only have a shots on goal differential of +9.

Earlier in the year, when the North Stars found themselves out shooting teams and losing, it was hard not to point to goaltending.

But 17-year-old Joel Gryzbowski looked solid on Tuesday, stopping 26 of 27 shots and improving to a perfect 3-0 this season.

“He did an excellent job. He played strong and he made the saves when he needed to,” Johnson said. “The one that got past him I think was a defensive let down. The one thing is just the communication with the puck there. Again it comes down to preparation and we have to do a better job with our ‘D’ and our goalies and with communication.”

The North Stars will travel to Flin Flon this weekend for back-to-back road games with the Bombers, who are 6-1-1 this season.

It will be the first meeting with the Bombers since last year’s playoff series, where Flin Flon won in five games.

 

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