North Stars teammates flood to goaltender Josh Kotai in jubilant celebration following his final stop of the night to clinch the victory for the team. (Martin Martinson/battlefordsNOW Staff)

By Martin Martinson

Ewart Tallies Winner

Stars top Mustangs in shootout to win fifth straight

Dec 4, 2022 | 1:30 AM

Goaltender Josh Kotai thwarted all three shooters he faced, and defenceman Tynan Ewart tallied the winning goal on the night, to lead the Battlefords North Stars to a 5-4 shootout win Saturday night in Melfort.

Four different players scored for the team in the victory, as Zane Florence, Steven Kesslering, Jordan Gibbs, and Kian Bell each chipped in for a single in regulation time, while Kotai stopped 30/34 between the pipes.

Florence’s fourth of the year came on a slapper from the blue line, followed by Kesslering’s 14^th on a shorthanded break sprung by Keiton Klein, to make it 2-0 Stars at the end of the first.

In the second, Melfort tied the contest with two quick ones of their own from captain Ben Tkachuk on a net-front drive, and Hayden Tuba on a power play blast, to knot the score 2-2 just over seven minutes into the middle frame.

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Gibbs re-upped the Stars’ lead at 3-2 midway through the frame on a wicked wrister for his sixth of the year, followed by another answer from the Mustangs on a breakaway snipe from Zac Somers for his 17th.

Bell’s league leading 21^st made it 4-3 Stars on a gorgeous deke move to the backhand to tuck the puck home, though again, the Mustangs were not going away. Tkachuk answered once more with his second of the night and fourth of the season.

The third saw no scoring, meaning the game was destined for overtime.

Steven Kesslering scored his second in as many nights Saturday, to bring his total to 14 this season. (Martin Martinson/battlefordsNOW Staff)

Despite seven shots between the two teams (four for the Mustangs, three for the Stars) in the five-minute sudden-death period, the game remained undecided, leading to a shootout.

Ewart’s eventual winner came on the first shot of the shootout, a forehand dart off the pipe and in after zig-zagging his way in on goal.

From there, Kotai shut the door to clinch the victory for the team – including a final stop on the red-hot Tkachuk working on a three-point game – to solidify the win for the North Stars, 5-4 the final.

With the victory, the Stars extend their league-leading record to 21-0-2-1 this season. With 47 points, the team now sit eight up on second-place La Ronge with 39.

The Stars will play the La Ronge Ice Wolves in their return to action Wednesday night on home ice at the ACC. The game will be available on 1050 CJNB, with the Ultra Print Pregame Show at 7 p.m., and puck drop at 7:30 p.m.

Scoring summary

First period:

11:04 BAT Zane Florence (4) ASST: Jackson Allen, Jordan Grill 1-0 Stars

13:04 BAT Steven Kesslering (14) ASST: Keiton Klein 2-0 Stars

Second period:

5:05 MLF Ben Tkachuk (3) ASST: Dawson Leroux, Boston Maxwell 2-1 Stars

7:18 MLF Hayden Tuba (3) ASST: Leith Olafson, Ben Tkachuk 2-2 tie

12:29 BAT Jordan Gibbs (6) ASST: Colby Bear, Jake Southgate 3-2 Stars

13:14 MLF Zac Somers (17) ASST: Leith Olafson, Riley Ashe 3-3 tie

14:55 BAT Kian Bell (21) ASST: Colby Bear, Jake Southgate 4-3 Stars

17:46 MLF Ben Tkachuk (4) ASST: Kevin Minnoch, Clarke Huxley 4-4 tie

Third period:

No scoring

Overtime:
No scoring

Shootout:

BAT Tynan Ewart – Goal *Shootout winner

MLF Riley Ashe – No goal

BAT Kian Bell – No goal

MLF Zac Somers – No goal

BAT Keiton Klein – No goal

MLF Ben Tkachuk – No goal

5-4 SO North Stars the final

—

Martin.Martinson@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @MartyMartyPxP1