The Battlefords North Stars played their biggest game of the season Wednesday, but it was not their best game of the season.
The North Stars hosted the Humboldt Broncos at the Civic Centre and fell 4-2, as their February record drops to 0-2-1-0. The North Stars dropped eight points behind the Broncos in the SJHL's Bauer Conference, thanks in large part to Ward Szucki.
The North Stars played a solid first period and were physical, as they started the scoring with Cole Gibson picking up his 18th goal of the season. Brody Luhning moved the puck across the blue-line for Travis Sparrow who fired the puck at the net. Gibson grabbed the loose puck in front spun around and slid it by Andrew Bodnarchuk.
Two minutes later, the Broncos tied the game while there was a delayed penalty being called to the North Stars. Former North Star Szucki one-timed a centering pass.
Szucki struck again 20 seconds later with a shot off the rush that beat Kyle Birch high to put the Broncos up 2-1.
After 20, minutes the North Stars fired 22 shots at Bodnarchuk, but trailed despite giving up just 14 shots.
In the second, Gibson had a good chance early but hit the post.
Minutes later, Robbie Newton scored an identical goal to Szucki's first, as he one-timed a centering pass from Kyle Hall. The tying goal was Newton's third of the season.
Humboldt reclaimed the lead after a miscue and perhaps a lack of communication in the North Stars' zone. Taylor Johnson capitalized to put Humboldt in front 3-2.
Later in the second, the North Stars created a turnover and Grondin fired a shot off the crossbar, but the score remained the same heading into the final period.
The Battlefords created more scoring chances in third, despite a five minute break to fix a stanchion in the glass and another five minute break when the officials tried to sort out a penalty situation, which saw Brett Pisio mixed it up the North Stars' bench and earn a 10-minute misconduct.
Once all was settled the North Stars pressed for the tying goal, but with the goalie pulled to make it five-on-five due to a high sticking penalty, a turnover in the neutral zone landed on the stick of Szucki. He fired at the empty net and completed the hat trick to seal the 4-2 win.
The story for the North Stars Wednesday night was not capitalizing on their scoring chances, they finished with 41 shots.
Coach Ken Pearson broke it down to poor execution in the Humboldt zone.
"Our execution around their net, again, was the problem," said Pearson. "We had opportunities to score we hit the post, we just weren't willing to pay the price in front of the net tonight. The winning goal was scored with one of their guys directly in front of the net on a tip and we just were willing to do that."
The North Stars top scorers have went in a bit of a slump and as the team heads down the stretch and prepares for the playoffs it will be the top two lines that will need to elevate their play.
"We need our best players to step up and be our best players," said Pearson. "Some of top six forwards have two goals combined in the last 12 games and it makes it tough to win. You need those contributions to win games."
Although the loss makes it very unlikely the North Stars will grab the third spot in the Bauer Conference they now turn their attention to holding off the Flin Flon Bombers,
who sit one point behind the North Stars. Fortunately the North Stars control their own destiny, as they play Flin Flon three of their last six games.
"Obviously we are going to go out with the mindset to win," said Pearson. "Now third is certainly going to be tough to get, but we have done that to ourselves. We have had every opportunity to get a strangle hold on third place and we weren't able to get it done. We need the 20 guys in the dressing room to turn things around and get it done."
Pearson explains that it isn't the end of the world, getting third, fourth or fifth and having to play in the survivor series.
"Last year, the survivor series winners went on to the league final," said Pearson looking at what the La Ronge Ice Wolves were able to do. "Is it a bad thing? I don't think it will be a bad thing for our club,"
The North Stars headed to Flin Flon Thursday preparing for a two-game set with the Bombers Friday and Saturday.
The North Stars' roster is a bit depleted, as Boyd Wakelin was again positioned on defence and the North Stars lost Hannas to injury again, as he was playing in his first game back from injury. Cody Foldstad also collided with Pisio creating a Charlie horse, but did finish the game.
Zach MacLellan watched with a cast on his wrist and there was no shortage of ice packs being passed around the dressing room after the game.
It is that time of the season when the players will have to play through the bumps and bruises and put a string of wins together if nothing else to send a message to the Flin Flon Bombers, who look to be their survivor series opponents.
