Although it was the smallest crowd of the season, the Battlefords North Stars didn't disappoint those who skipped out on the world junior gold medal game and made their way to the Civic Centre Wednesday night.
The North Stars got better as their first Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League game of 2011 went on and eventually won 4-3 in a shootout over the Notre Dame Hounds.
Less than two minutes into the game, the Hounds took the lead when Trevor Milner beat Kyle Birch.
The North Stars responded minutes later, as Mitch Galbraith moved in on a breakaway and beat Matthew Smidt. Galbraith's second of the season was assisted by Cris Neurauter and Colin Phaneuf.
Notre Dame found themselves back in front after a powerplay goal by Battlefords native Richard Cameron.
Todd Christian scored later in the first for the Hounds and they led 3-1 after 20 minutes.
The North Stars looked much better in the second and it showed, as they pulled within a goal when Tanner Schwab scored from Samuel Fortier and Blake Tatchell. The North Stars' second goal of the game was Schwab's ninth of the season.
In the third, it was all North Stars, especially the last 15 minutes of the period. Several times the home team had opportunities to tie the game, but it was Smidt making big save after big save to keep his team in front. Then, with a minute left and Birch pulled, Keith Grondin one-timed a cross-ice pass from Cade Kimery and beat Smidt to tie the game. Neurauter also assisted on Grondin's 22nd of the season.
The North Stars forced overtime and put four more shots on Smidt, but nothing was solved and the game went to a shootout.
The first shooter was Grondin and he moved in with speed and deked to his forehand to beat Smidt.
Todd Christian was Notre Dame's first shooter and missed, bringing up Tatchell for the North Stars. Tatchell snapped a shot by Smidt and put the pressure on Ben Morgan. Morgan was stopped by Birch and the North Stars earned the win.
"It was deserved for these guys tonight," said North Stars' head coach and general manger Ken Pearson. "It is going to be huge for our confidence moving forward and the game Friday with Melville."
With the win, the North Stars have now beat every team in the SJHL at least once. The North Stars keep pace with Flin Flon and sit tied for fourth in the Bauer Conference with 38 points.
"I thought we were hit and miss and hot in cold in the first," said Pearson. "The final 45, I thought territorial wise, we really took over. Their goalie was lights out tonight and he made some stops when he had no idea where the puck was."
Smidt made 40 saves in four periods while Birch was strong early and reliable when called upon in the later part of the game making 29 saves for his 10th win of the season.
The North Stars started the game with five defencemen, with Brody Luhning still on a tryout with the Calgary Hitmen and Zach MacLellan injured following the exhibition game with Sweden. Travis Sparrow was injured Wednesday night and the defence core of Neurauter, Kimery, Woody Klassen and Cody Folstad kept things simple and did a good job with a lot of minutes played.
The North Stars' roster will get a boost and it will not cost the team anything, as Wednesday they learned Dane Muench, the 18 year-old forward, will be returned from the WHL's Regina Pats. Muench has played 81 games in the Battlefords and had 34 goals, 24 during his rookie season in 2008-09. Muench was sidelined last season because of an injury and had similar luck with the Pats this season despite a fast start. After the injury, Muench didn't return to his expected form and now will have a chance to go to the place it all started and salvage the season.
Pearson confirmed Muench won't be playing Friday, but the rest of the North Stars will be as they host the Melville Millionaires.
