Stars forward Evan Waldie, pictured here tied up with Kindersley's Noah Lindsay, set up the Stars first goal Saturday feeding Dylan Esau on a 2-on-0 for the scoring play. (Martin Martinson/battlefordsNOW Staff)

By Martin Martinson

Rivalry weekend concludes

North Stars fall 4-2 to Klippers in weekend series split

Mar 5, 2022 | 11:48 PM

The Battlefords North Stars fell 4-2 to Kindersley Saturday night in North Battleford, to cap the teams’ weekend home-and-home.

Dylan Esau and Zane Florence scored for the Stars in the loss, while goaltender, Lowen Kenyon stopped 17 of 20 shots against.

Following a scoreless first, Tylin Hilbig made it 1-0 Klippers just 28 seconds into the middle period on his team-leading 22^nd of the season, snapping a wrist shot from the top of the slot to open the scoring.

Esau knotted the score, cashing in on a slick play by Evan Waldie on a 2-on-0 midway through the frame. Serving as his 21^st of the season and fifth goal in his last three games, Esau’s tally was set up by Waldie on a last-second cross-crease pass the forward one-timed home for the 1-1 tally.

However, before the end of the second, Klippers’ defenceman Nathan DeGraves re-established his team’s lead at 2-1, on a post-and-in wrister from the high slot to give the visitors a lead heading into the third.

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After Aiden Bangs cashed in for his second of the weekend and 11^th of the season to make it 3-1 Klippers, Florence answered back for the Stars in the final 1:30 of regulation. Scoring off a goalmouth scramble, Florence’s goal marked his second in his last two nights and 16^th of the year to make it 3-2.

The Stars continued to push late, though the team was unable to get a third goal past Klippers’ goalie, Matt Pesenti who stopped 38 of 40 Stars’ shots on the night. Andrew Schaab then iced the game with his 12^th, into the empty net to seal the victory for his team at 4-2 Kindersley.

Playoff implications

Despite the win, the Klippers were still mathematically eliminated from playoff contention Saturday, as Notre Dame won their game (7-4 over Yorkton) to remain five points up on Kindersley while the Klippers have just two more games to play (for a maximum four points available).

With the defeat, the North Stars fall to fifth overall (at 70 points), as Flin Flon beat La Ronge 5-3 to jump a single point up on the Battlefords for fourth with 71 points. That said, the Stars do hold a single game in-hand on the Bombers, and two games in-hand on Melfort in third place with 73 points, so the Battlefords still control their own fate with the potential to finish as high as third.

The North Stars will now look for a quick bounce back in their return to action Tuesday at home against Nipawin. The NAPA Auto Parts North Stars Hockey Broadcast will be available on 1050 CJNB, with the Ultra Print Pregame Show at 7 p.m., and puck drop to follow at 7:30 p.m.

Scoring summary

First period:

No scoring

Second period:

0:28 KIN Tylin Hilbig (22) ASST: Brayden Koch (14), Andrew Schaab (21)

8:25 BAT Dylan Esau (21) ASST: Evan Waldie (4), Sam Witt (18)

13:39 KIN Nathan DeGraves (3) ASST: Brayden Koch (15), Noah Lindsay (16)

Third period:

1:53 KIN Aidan Bangs (11) ASST: Matthew Mazzocchi (14)

18:31 BAT Zane Florence (16) ASST: Colby Bear (8), Bradley Blake (10)

19:32 KIN Andrew Schaab (12) ASST: None (EN)

4-2 Kindersley, the final

—

Martin.Martinson@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @MartyMartyPxP1