After putting the C and As on his players, Ken Pearson's Battlefords North Stars responded with two home wins on the weekend.
Two days, before the North Stars took on the Nipawin Hawks, Pearson announced Chris Neurauter would be the team's captain for the season. Neurauter joined the North Stars following a trade in early October and since has been a leader on and off the ice to a team, that lost their captain and two assistants from last season.
The assistant captains will be Woody Klassen, the only player returning to wear a letter from last season, Tony Oak, the longest serving North Star, Cody Folstad and Colin Phaneuf. Folstad and Phaneuf will share the assistant role with Folstad wearing an A on the road and Phaneuf for home games.
As for the on ice news, Kyle Birch played well Saturday, earning his first win of the season.
Birch allowed a point shot by Brent Becker to beat him seven minutes into the game, but was perfect after that.
Boyd Wakelin tied the game for the North Stars later in the first. Brett Miller and Shayne Morrissey did some great work to set up their line mate for his first of the season.
Four minutes later, Tanner Schwab put the puck by former AAA Stars' teammate Brody Hoffman to take a 2-1 North Star lead into the break. Schwab's second of the season was assisted by Samuel Fortier and Cody Folstad.
Two more quick goals by the North Stars in the second were enough to chase Hoffman from the Hawks' net.
Brody Luhning scored his fifth of the season from Fortier. Keith Grondin scored his ninth of the season from Phaneuf.
The North Stars didn't stop there, they added two more goals in the second, both on the powerplay to led 6-1 heading into the third.
Phaneuf's 10th of the season was assisted by Klassen and Luhning while Tatchell's ninth of the campaign was assisted by Klassen and Neuratuer.
Also in the second period there were some major penalties handed out to Klassen for fighting Nipawin's Scott Brkich. Brkich was standing up for his teammate, who Klassen nailed with a hard body check. Oak also was ejected for being the third man into the fight after coming to Klassen's aid. Samuel Houle also squared of with Mathew Spafford later in the second and both times the Nipawin players received the instigator penalties.
The third period was a defensive battle, as no shots were recorded on Birch. Luhning scored in the final minute of the game to seal the 7-1 win. Fortier earned his third assist of the game while Schwab also had a helper.
Birch made 25 saves for the win while the North Stars fired 36 shots at Hoffman and Stephen Klein in the Hawks' net.
The Battlefords were 2/6 on the powerplay and killed off 2/2 shorthanded situations.
Sunday afternoon, the North Stars continued to build some momentum with a 5-2 win over Melfort in the teams' fourth meeting of the season.
On the first shift of the game, Travis Cech scored his second of the season from Fortier and Schwab.
Four minutes later, Tatchell scored from Luhning and five minutes after that Cech scored his second of the game on a powerplay. Fortier had another assist, as did Neuratuer.
The North Stars led 3-0 after the first period and Alex Sirard stopped 10 shots for the North Stars.
Early in the second, on a powerplay, Melfort's Jesse Mireau scored to make it a two-goal game.
That was how the second would end after more rough stuff - this time it was Cech mixing it up with Brant Henry-Norton - with both players taking fighting majors.
Melfort scored 34 seconds into the third to make it a one-goal game, but five minutes later Grondin scored his 10th of the season from Tatchell and Folstad to increase the North Stars' lead.
Fortier sealed the win with an empty net goal from Folstad and Cech. The late-game goal was Fortier's first as a North Star and helped Cech complete the Gordie Howe hat trick.
Jesse Ehnisz was the losing goalie while making 24 saves. Sirard stopped 24 shots and earned his second win of the season.
The North Stars are now set for a southern road trip to Estevan and Weyburn Tuesday and Wednesday. The Battlefords are back at home Friday against Melville.
One other note from the North Stars' game Sunday is the Scott Campbell Dodge shoot to win jackpot of $1,000 was won by Nathan Eckel during the intermission contest.
