After taking a beating in Tisdale the previous weekend, the Battlefords Midget Stars were back in action on the weekend, this time against the last place team in the Saskatchewan Midget AAAA Hockey League.
The Notre Dame Hounds were looking for their first win of the season Saturday at the Civic Centre and were able to accomplish that with a 5-3 victory.
The Hounds scored three goals in a span of 12 minutes in the first period and took the 3-0 lead into the intermission.
The second period was dead even, as both teams had eight shots, both had four penalty minutes and both were held off the scoreboard.
Four minutes into the third, Notre Dame added another goal, Paul Kostuik's second of the game, and that all but killed the Stars' chances for a comeback making it 4-0. Another insurance goal later in the period had the Stars trailing 5-0.
Jeff Olson got the Stars on the board with his second of the season from Colby Daniels and Justin Lund with five minutes remaining in the third.
Olson was at it again his next shift, as he set up Daniels two minutes later for his fourth of the season.
Olson added a powerplay goal with a minute left to make it respectable, but the game ended 5-3. Daniels and Dylan Fluter drew the assists on the Stars' final goal of the game.
Ty Reichenbach was the Hounds' winning goalie facing 17 shots in the third period alone and 37 on the night. Regan Santoro suffered the loss after making 28 saves.
The Stars were 1/5 with the man advantage and killed all four shorthanded situations, but lost their fourth straight game.
Sunday, the Stars were able to get back into the win column with some hard work, physical play and timely saves.
Notre Dame scored a powerplay goal midway through the first period on a nice passing play to earn the first lead of the game.
After Dallan Walker was hit hard at centre ice with what looked to be a shoulder injury that forced him to leave the game, the Stars' intensity picked up. Zackary Klebaum dropped the gloves with Ian Williams in defence of his teammate and the Stars were able to kill off their penalties and went on the attack.
Later in the first, Olson scored his third in two games while standing on the doorstep. Daniels and Jesse Gerbig had the helpers on the powerplay goal.
In the second the Stars came out buzzing and again it was Olson with a scoring chance. This time he was hauled down and drew a penalty shot.
Olson moved in and jammed the puck between Reichenbach's legs to take the lead.
Nine minutes later, Cody Thiel blasted a shot from the point that beat Reichenbach. Thiel's first of the season was assisted by Eric Pfeifer and Justin Lund.
The Stars held a 3-1 lead heading into the third period and Blake Young scored his first Midget AAA goal as insurance in the third period.
After Ryne Keller delivered a hard hit on a Hounds' defender, causing a turnover, Young fired the puck into the net putting the Stars up 4-1. Keller had the assist on the goal, which held up as the game winner.
Notre Dame scored twice on the powerplay later in the third frame, but the Stars held on for the 4-3 win after some good saves by Blair Mahon when Notre Dame was looking for the tying goal.
Notre Dame finished 3/9 on the powerplay while the Stars were 1/6.
Mahon was solid in net for the Stars and earned the win with 30 saves.
Next for the Stars are four straight home games starting with the Saskatoon Blazers Thursday, then Yorkton Saturday and Sunday and Prince Albert Nov. 3.
The Stars hold the ninth spot in the 12-team SMAAAHL standings with a 3-6-1-0 record.
