North Stars teammates celebrate following Jake Southgate’s first period tally, Saturday. Southgate’s 10 goals led the team and are tied for third-most in the league this season. (Martin Martinson/battlefordsNOW Staff)

By Martin Martinson

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Stars snap skid with 3-1 win in Melfort

Oct 31, 2021 | 12:34 AM

The Battlefords North Stars made a triumphant return to the win column Saturday, kicking their three-game slide, to top the Mustangs 3-1 in Melfort.

Jake Southgate, Holden Doell, and Steven Kesslering scored for the team, while goaltender Michael Harroch saved 34 of 35 shots in the win.

Melfort’s Lucas Ochitwa scored the Mustang’s lone goal in the defeat, while Joel Favreau stopped 23 of 26 shots against.

Stars goalie, Michael Harroch picked up his first win with the Stars Saturday, making a number of key stops in his team’s 3-1 victory in Melfort. (Martin Martinson/battlefordsNOW Staff)

Ochitwa’s goal opened the scoring on a nice passing play that saw the defenceman snap home his second of the year as the trailer on a rush chance, to make it 1-0 Melfort just 2:16 into the first.

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However, it did not take long for the Stars to answer.

Jake Southgate’s team-leading 10^th came just over a minute later in highlight-reel fashion, off a rush down the left-wing side, with hair flowing out the back of his helmet. Flying in on goal, the 19-year-old then snapped the puck in a flash – off the post and in – far-side to knot the score, 1-1.

Holden Doell’s second of the season made it 2-1 Stars later in the period, coming off a broken play turned highlight-reel goal of his own.

After his centering feed to an area was left free, Doell walked around the defenceman stepping up to make a play, to grab the puck again himself, and fire a shot five-hole from the slot for a North Stars’ lead.

While the second period remained scoreless, it wasn’t for a lack of chances. Harroch stopped Melfort’s Carter Anderson on a net drive to the far-post, with a full-split save, while also stonewalling Curtis Hammond on another cross-crease split.

While not quite as busy on the night as his counterpart, Favreau also make a pair of dandies in the Mustangs’ crease, stopping KT Walters twice from point-blank range to keep his team within striking distance.

In the third, Kesslering’s sixth added a much-needed insurance marker, making it 3-1 Battlefords on a quick-release shot, to cap the scoring on the night.

With the win, the Stars improve to 9-5-2 on the season. Their 20 points now sit just a single back of the Mustangs’ 21, as Melfort are now 10-6-1.

The North Stars will return to action Tuesday in Wilcox versus the division-rival, Notre Dame Hounds. The NAPA Auto Parts North Stars Hockey Broadcast will be available on 1050 CJNB, with the Ultra Print Pregame Show at 7:30 p.m., followed by puck drop at 8 p.m.

Scoring summary

First period:

2:16 MLF Lucas Ochitwa (2) ASST: Boston Maxwell (4), Logan Cox (4)

3:22 BAT Jake Southgate (10) ASST: Ryland McNinch (6)

16:19 BAT Holden Doell (2) ASST: None

Second period:

No scoring

Third period:

9:03 BAT Steven Kesslering (6) ASST: Owen Lugowski (1)

3-1 North Stars, the final.

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Martin.Martinson@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @MartyMartyPxP1