Full team effort: The North Stars scored five goals from five different players in Tuesday’s win over Notre Dame. (Martin Martinson/battlefordsNOW Staff)

By Martin Martinson

Snap five game skid

Stars top Hounds 5-3 in return to win column

Dec 14, 2021 | 10:35 PM

The Battlefords North Stars snapped their five-game skid, with a convincing 5-3 victory over their division rivals from Notre Dame, Tuesday night in North Battleford.

Five different players chipped in goals for the Stars, as Bradley Blake, Zane Florence, Dylan Esau, Steven Kesslering and Jake Southgate each picked up a single in the win, while goaltender Michael Harroch stopped 41 of 44 shots against for the victory.

Blake’s third of the year opened the scoring for the Stars on a slick passing play, just passed the 13-minute mark of the first, to make it 1-0 for the home side early.

Just three minutes later, Florence then added his ninth of the campaign as well, to make it 2-0 Stars heading into the first intermission.

In the second, Notre Dame answered with a pair of their own in short succession. Elliot Dutil cashed in for his 22^nd of the year, just over 11 minutes into the frame, before Antoine St. Onge added his seventh as well, just 30 seconds later, to erase the Hounds’ deficit altogether at 2-2.

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The Stars bent but didn’t break, returning in the third with a quick strike, as Dylan Esau’s eighth came just 17 seconds into the regulation time period to make it 3-2 Battlefords, putting the home team back in front.

Steven Kesslering’s 13^th of the season (and seventh against the Hounds) would ultimately serve as the game-winner, making it 4-2 at the time on the power play, before Jake Southgate iced the cake at 5-2 on a shorthanded beauty for good measure.

Dutil’s second of the game brought the Hounds back to within a pair in the final minute, making it a 5-3 game, but that is as close as the visitors would get, 5-3 Stars the final.

With the win, the North Stars improve to 18-8-5 this season, giving them 41 points on the year.

The Battlefords are now in a three-way tie with Flin Flon and Melfort who also have 31 points, though the Bombers (third overall) do hold a single game in-hand on the Stars (fourth), who hold a game in-hand on Melfort (fifth).

The North Stars will return to action Friday night at home, against Kindersley, for their final home game prior to the Christmas break. Friday’s game will be available on 1050 CJNB. The Ultra Print Pregame Show will begin at 7 p.m., with puck drop at 7:30 p.m.

Scoring summary:

First period:

13:04 BAT Bradley Blake (3) ASST: Colby Bear (3)

16:17 BAT Zane Florence (9) ASST: Bradley Blake (6)

Second period:

11:14 ND Eliot Dutil (22) ASST: Connor Nolan (23)

11:46 ND Antoine Sait-Onge (7) ASST: Will Dawson (5) , Phil Fath (5)

Third period:

0:17 BAT Dylan Esau (8) ASST: Matthew Henry (8)

11:09 BAT Steven Kesslering (13) ASST: Dylan Esau (20), Zane Florence (7) (PP)

14:59 BAT Jake Southgate (14) ASST: Sam Witt (10) (SH)

19:01 ND Elliot Dutil (23) ASST: Sam Kroon (18), Oliver Band (9)

5-3 North Stars, the final.

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Martin.Martinson@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @MartyMartyPxP1