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North Stars win second straight by way of the shootout

Nov 5, 2017 | 1:13 AM

It wasn’t pretty, but as the old saying goes, “a win is a win.”

That’s likely how the Battlefords North Stars feel after their 4-3 shootout win over the Kindersley Klippers on Saturday night, a win that stretched their record this season to an impressive 12-1-1.

“I didn’t think we really played our best,” North Stars assistant coach Boyd Wakelin said in the post-game interview on 93.3 the Rock. “There were times when we brought our energy level up and we played great. We controlled the play. But when they started playing with a little more energy than we had, then they took over. It was kind of a little bit of back and forth. One of those roller coaster games that you don’t really want to get into the habit of playing.”

The shots on goal in the game favoured Kindersley 35-34 according to the gamesheet (although the final scoreboard at the rink said 34-31 for the North Stars), meaning North Stars goaltender Kolby Matthews was credited with 32 saves.

The 18-year-old improved his record to 8-1 and his eight wins are now second-best in the entire Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League. He is also just one victory back of the wins leader, Evan Plotnik.

“Once again I thought Kolby [Matthews] did an unbelievable job of giving us a chance to win another game,” Wakelin said.

Layne Young was his usual self with another multi-point game to push his season-long point streak to 14 games. He is now just one point back of SJHL points-leader Zach Goberis. Young has 31 points in 14 games, while Goberis has 32 in 17 games.

Young also scored the first goal in the shootout.

Chaseton Braid scored the second goal in the shootout to clinch the win, but it was perhaps his late third-period game-tying-goal that was even more clutch.

“He’s a guy that brings it all every night,” Wakelin said. “He’s one of those guys that leads by example on the ice. He drives the net really well. He throws his body around. He’s not afraid to block shots. We have him killing penalties and on the power play. I’ve been really happy with him joining our team.”

Braid now has two goals and five assists in eight games since being acquired from the Lloydminster Bobcats of the Alberta Junior Hockey League.

Another former Bobcat standing out on Saturday was Tre Doyon, who made his season debut for the North Stars.

The 19-yearold had been dealing with a shoulder injury, which had kept him out for the entire regular season, until Saturday, when he scored on his second shift.

While not known for his scoring touch, Doyon also certainly made his presence felt in the usual areas: finishing his checks, on the penalty kill, and in the faceoff dot.

“It was great to have Tre back in the lineup tonight,” Wakelin said. “Doyon’s penalty kill there with I don’t even know how many he blocked and he’s diving along; you see guys doing stuff like that and it’s contagious throughout the whole bench.”

The North Stars now have a week off before they host the Viterra Division-leading Weyburn Red Wings on Saturday Nov. 11 at the Civic Centre. The Red Wings are 12-4-2 this season and both Keith Anderson and Connor McIntosh will be eligible to return from their two-game suspensions.

 

nathan.kanter@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @NathanKanter11