The Battlefords Stars began October looking for their first win of the season, as the Tisdale Trojans were in North Battleford.
During both the Saturday and Sunday games the Stars played well enough to come away with a win, if not two, but both times fell short and lost 4-3.
Carter Danczak started the scoring for the Stars Saturday, as he was sprung on a breakaway by a Kihisi Derocher pass. Danczak deked and scored and the Stars led 1-0 after the first period.
In the second, the Stars ran into some penalty trouble and at one point were down two players for two minutes after a contact to the head penalty and a slashing penalty the next shift.
The Trojans used the 5-on-3 to score their first goal of the game and, with five minutes remaining, scored again to take the lead.
Brody Tatchell evened the game before the intermission with a shorthanded goal, on a similar deke to Danczak's in the first period.
The score was 2-2 after 40 minutes, but Tisdale scored 40 seconds into the third period to retake the lead.
Drew Soderberg scored 10 minutes later to tie the game again, as he found a loose puck in the slot and spun around and beat Austin Rediron in the Trojan's net.
Rhett Handley responded for Tisdale 36 seconds later and that would hold up to be the game winner.
The Stars did apply some pressure later in the third period, but another four minute contact to the head penalty drained them of the momentum and they lost.
The Stars were 0/7 on the power play while the Trojans were 1/9 and out shot the Stars 36-27.
Blair Mahon was in net for the Stars and made some big saves to keep the game a one-goal spread, but it wasn't enough.
Sunday afternoon, the two teams were back on the ice and the result was the same. Mahon was in net again for the Stars.
The teams traded goals in the first period, as Tisdale started the scoring two minutes in. Blake Young scored with a power move to the net on the power play protecting the puck and sliding it by Braven MacPherson. Tisdale answered on a power play four minutes later, but the Stars Regan Yew scored a nice goal from Brock Weston and Jordan Braun with a slap shot from just inside the blue-line.
The lone goal in the second period was from Wyatt Garagan, who scored with a slap shot five-hole on Mahon, the one goal allowed this weekend he would likely want back.
In the third, Tisdale increased their lead and it proved to be the necessary insurance to earn the win with a rebound put home after a scramble around Mahon's net.
Garrett Zelinski scored from the point with a slap shot on the power play for the Stars, but that was as close as they would come. Zelinski's goal from Danczak and Tatchell was his first goal as a Star, coming 48 games into his AAA midget career.
Next for the Stars is a home game Wednesday against Beardy's at 7:30 p.m. and Friday in Saskatoon against the Blazers.
