The North Stars beat the Melville Millionaires 4-1 last night in Melville. (Byron Hildebrand/Facebook)

By Austin Mattes

Battlefords North Stars

Maric paves the way to victory in Melville

Dec 4, 2024 | 5:20 AM

The Battlefords North Stars improved to 13-7-3-1 last night after an outstanding game from goaltender Justen Maric helped the team retake second overall in the standings and beat the Melville Millionaires 4-1 at the CN Community Centre in Melville.

In the first period, both teams came out playing hard, getting good rushes and finding some good scoring chances. As the period went on though, the Millionaires slowly started to take the slight edge, controlling most of the puck possession and only allowing the North Stars to get six shots on net to their 14.

But despite Melville being the better team in the first, the game went to the first intermission scoreless at 0-0.

For the second period, it didn’t take long to get things started as Melville finally opened up the scoring on a powerplay goal with just over three minutes in to take a 1-0 lead.

Throughout the rest of the period, their was lots of back and forth but the North Stars eventually were able to tie it up with a powerplay goal of their own from Josh Knittig to make it 1-1.

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Then only 20 seconds after goal their first, the North Stars came down the ice and scored again, this time from Anthony Campbell to take a 2-1 lead going into the third period.

Coming out for the third, Battlefords carried the momentum through the intermission and were able to find another goal, coming from Colton Getzlaff, his seventh of the season, to go up 3-1.

Then to finish off and seal the deal, the North Stars lit the lamp once more on a goal from Nikita Ivashchenko to make it 4-1 and win the game.

Battlefords got outshot by Melville 43 to 27, went 1/1 on the powerplay and stopped the Millionaires 4/5 times on the penalty kill.

The biggest difference maker for the North Stars tonight was the unbelievable performance from goaltender Justen Maric who stopped 42/43 shots to help lead the team to the win.

The North Stars next game is this Friday, Dec. 6th at the Access Communications Centre against Weyburn Red Wings with puck drop at 7:30 p.m.

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austin.mattes@pattisonmedia.com

On X: @AustinMattes