The Battlefords North Stars have allowed 15 goals over their last two games and lost their fifth consecutive contest, falling 8-4 to the Warman Wolverines.
“A lot of frustration right now,” said North Stars assistant coach Owen Lamb after the game.
The North Stars had a positive first period when they got their first power play goal in 22 attempts. Will Kirwan found Drew Williamson, who one-timed the puck past Wolverines goalie Evan Hutcheon to give the North Stars a 1-0 lead at 9:54.
Ryan Lambert’s point of view
The Wolverines had a chance to tie things up with a flurry of shots but North Stars goaltender Nathan Claydon stood tall with a series of saves ending with a diving stop.
Ryan Lambert’s point of view
A few minutes later, Easton Woytiuk doubled the North Stars’ lead with his first SJHL goal, electing to shoot on a two-on-one and beating Hutcheon under the blocker at 12:34.
“You could see how excited the guys got. That should have given us momentum. It didn’t quite end up being that way,” Lamb said.
Ryan Lambert’s point of view
After one: 2-0 North Stars, shots 17-10 North Stars
Just 1:39 into the second period, Jaggar John cut the lead to 2-1 with his first SJHL goal. After ringing a shot off the crossbar, John stayed with the play, received a pass in front from Owen Parks and scored to pull Warman within one.
Ryan Lambert’s point of view
The North Stars responded a few minutes later when a pair of North Stars blueliners connected deep in the offensive zone.
Kirwan beat Trey Markus with a deke near the hash marks before spinning and putting the puck on Linken Fisher’s tape at the doorstep. Fisher scored his second goal of the season to restore the North Stars’ two-goal lead at 3-1 at 5:37.
Ryan Lambert’s point of view
Although the North Stars seemed to get the momentum back, the Wolverines took over.
Just 29 seconds after Fisher’s goal, at 6:06, Sawyer Scheidt received a pass in the high slot and fired it past Nathan Claydon to make it a one-goal game again.
Ryan Lambert’s point of view
The goals didn’t stop coming. Twenty-five seconds after Scheidt’s goal, Linden Hoskins floated a puck on net from the point. It bounced off a defender and over Claydon’s shoulder. It was Hoskins’ first SJHL goal, making him the third player in the game to reach that milestone.
Ryan Lambert’s point of view
With that goal, the Wolverines tied the game at 3-3 less than a minute after Fisher gave the North Stars a two-goal lead.
“There’s no safe lead. Things can change quickly. We’ve seen that tonight. We’ve got to stay motivated and focused the whole game and just consistently focus on that next-shift mentality,” Lamb said.
At 9:19, the Wolverines took their first lead of the game. As a penalty expired, Nate Crashley broke in alone and scored on his forehand to give Warman a 4-3 advantage.
Ryan Lambert’s point of view
Ashton Lee doubled the lead at 10:18, gathering his own rebound in tight and scoring to make it 5-3.
Ryan Lambert’s point of view
Warman scored its third goal in 1:28 after a save drew Claydon out of his crease. John picked up the rebound and tucked it inside the post to put the Wolverines up 6-3. After allowing six goals on 18 shots, Claydon’s night was done.
Ryan Lambert’s point of view
The Wolverines added another before the period ended when Lee’s shot from the boards trickled past Chase Kettles to make it 7-3 at 17:32.
Ryan Lambert’s point of view
Lee’s second goal of the frame capped off a seven-goal second period for the Wolverines.
Six of those goals were unanswered.
Five of them were all within a span of 4:12.
After two: 7-3 Wolverines, shots 12-1 Wolverines, 22-18 Wolverines overall
The North Stars got one goal back in the third period when Kaleb Dewar’s shot from the point was deflected high into the air and into the back of the net at 1:46.
Ryan Lambert’s point of view
However, the teams remained scoreless for the rest of the period until Owen Parks sealed the win, converting a cross-crease pass for his first goal as Wolverines captain at 18:51.
Ryan Lambert’s point of view
Final score: 8-4 Wolverines, shots 8-4 Wolverines, 30-24 Wolverines overall
The teams will meet again Oct. 20, when the North Stars return to Warman.
“I hope the guys remember this feeling and bring it on Tuesday because we’re going to need a better full 60 minutes,” Lamb said.
“A little bit more edge and a little more pride in the logo on Tuesday.”
The Ultra Print pregame show begins at 6:30 p.m., with puck drop for NAPA Auto Parts North Stars hockey at 7 p.m. on CJNB/CJNS.
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