For those who had a chance to watch the Battlefords North Stars play Yorkton Thursday it appeared the team was starting to move in the right direction having won five of their past seven games and winning 8-3 over Yorkton.
"The momentum is high, the confidence is high everyone is really happy when they come to the rink and wants to play hard," said Kyle Hall after scoring five goals in two games and a hat trick Thursday.
Fast forward to Saturday when the North Stars were on the road in Humboldt and got trampled on by the Broncos.
Things started badly for Kyle Birch and the North Stars and got worse as the game went on. Thirty-two seconds in, Jeremy Boyer beat Birch.
A powerplay goal by Riley Gillies and even strength markers from Spencer Braaten and Troy Gasper gave Humboldt a 4-0 lead after 20 minutes.
Humboldt struck again early, 16 seconds into the second. Gillies scored shorthanded to make it 5-0.
Boyer scored less than two minutes later and it was turning into a runaway for the home team. Nick Keller increased the lead, but the North Stars finally got on the board when Keith Grondin scored his sixth of the season from Brody Luhning and Woody Klassen.
Keller and Taylor Johnson scored late in the second for Humboldt and made it a 9-1 game heading into the third.
Former North Star Ward Szucki got on the scoresheet early in the third with a shorthanded marker and five minutes after that there was an old fashioned line brawl as Tony Oak, Cody Folstad and Chris Neurauter were all tossed from the game for fighting majors. Neil Landry, Brett Pinder and Adam Zbitniff of the Broncos were also penalized and ejected for their efforts in the brawl that started around Birch's net.
Once the gloves were cleaned up and the play resumed, the Broncos added one more goal to make it an 11-1 game.
Birch faced 47 shots while Andrew Bodnarchuk faced 30 for the win.
The inconsistent and lackluster effort by many of the North Star players will likely be challenged this week in practice by coach Ken Pearson, learned herecieved a one-game suspension following the multi-fight situation. Neurauter and Folstad received two game suspensions.
Without those two players the North Stars will be preparing for a Wednesday night tilt with La Ronge at the Civic Centre.
The positive game for the North Stars, was played Thursday and, like Humboldt did to them, the North Stars scored early and often to beat Yorkton.
While shorthanded, Blake Tatchell chipped the puck out of his own end skated in on a two-on-one, shot and scored 34 seconds in. Tatchell's sixth of the campaign was assisted by Luhning.
Later in the first, Kyle Hall scored his first of three goals, as he followed up on an Oak rebound and jammed the puck five-hole. Oak and Luhning had the assists.
Yorkton drew within a goal just over a minute later, as both North Stars' wingers had a chance to clear the puck on the boards, but were too soft. Robbie Ciolfi eventually ended up with a gift to get Yorkton on the board.
The North Stars found themselves on a five-on-three powerplay late in the third period and, after great puck movement, Folstad put his head down and let a rocket go from the top of the circle. Folstad's second of season was assisted by Brett Miller and Neurauter.
After one period the North Stars led 3-1.
The second period produced more of the same from the North Stars, who added two more powerplay goals, Grondin from Colin Phaneuf and Tatchell and Neurauter from Tim Rollins and Oak. An even strength goal was scored by Shayne Morrissey from Cade Kimery and Miller. The Battlefords also played physicallt, had a fight, got stellar goaltending and won all the races to the puck and battles along the boards, producing a 6-1 lead after 40 minutes.
Yorkton scored twice in the third period, but two powerplay goals by Hall, including his hat trick goal with 10 seconds left, lifted the North Stars to an 8-3 win. Miller added two more assist and Rollins and Zach MacLellan also picked up assists in the third period.
Yorkton got into some penalty trouble late, including a major for high sticking by Myles Cameron, who accidentally hit a North Star in the head with his stick. Cameron later learned he would be suspended for two games because of the stick swing incident.
Graham Hildebrand made 26 saves for the win while Hall led the offence with three goals and Tatchell, Oak, Miller and Neurauter all had multi-point efforts.
"We are all really working hard, grinding it out and I'm getting a couple greasy goals on rebounds," is what Hall attributes his recent success to. "We are going to the net hard and all our hard work is paying off for us."
Pearson also noted the recent string of wins had the team in the right frame of mind.
"When you win and things are going right you have lots of confidence and that is what our group is right now," said Pearson adding "It was easy tonight to coach" due to the complete effort team effort.
Thursday, Miller returned to the lineup since being sidelined at the beginning of October with an injury and Boyd Wakelin drew into the lineup for the first time this season after injuring his shoulder days before the season opener.
Other roster notes from earlier this week had the North Stars acquire three more players without giving up any roster players. Monday, the team learned Travis Sparrow, a 19-year-old defenceman, who played 39 games with the Regina Pats, would be joining the North Stars.
Pearson also made a trade for Samuel Fortier and right-winger and Samuel Houle a defenceman from the St. Agathe Montagnards of the LHJAAAQ. Both players will be heading west for future considerations.
All three new recruits will likely play Wednesday.
