North Stars win fifth straight

Hello everyone,

I has been a long time since I have updated my blog and I apologized, but here are some photos from the North Stars game Tuesday night, as they beat Flin Flon 2-1 and reeled off their fifth straight win.

Things are coming together. It really looks the like the younger players on the team are comfortable and accepting their roles and key players on the team and everyone is buying into coach Kevin Hasselberg’s system.

Austin Evans helps the 7th man (woman) with her helmet after O Canada.

Luke McColgan with a body check in the first period.

Moving up the wall with the puck.

Keenan Martens chases Flin Flon’s Spencer Mault in the North Stars’ zone.

Josh Betinol looks to pass to Jake McMillen on the North Stars’ first goal.

Jake McMillen beats Devin Buffalo glove side to make it 1-0.

Brandon Long looks to make a pass in the first period.

Kyle Hall in the Flin Flon zone.

Braeden Johnson looks to make a pass on the power play in the first period.

Blake Young flies into the Bombers’ zone.

Jake McMillen delivers a body check.

Brody Luhning moves the puck, as played forward in the first period on a line with Hall and Johnson.

Braeden Johnson with a drop pass.

Austin Evans protecting the puck.

Jake McMillen finding some open ice.

The North Stars attempted to block a shot by Flin Flon’s Brandt Weldon.

Devin Buffalo robs Ben Greenaway with pad save, his best of the game, late in the second period.

Connor Creech turns away Dylan Balaski on a partial breakaway in the second period.

Brody Luhning rushes the puck.

Ryne Keller used his speed in the third period and set up the game-winning goal from this spot. Keller did the same thing the next shift, but the North Stars’ came within inches of scoring an insurance goal.

Dillon Forbes dekes to his backhand in the slot and scores the game-winning goal.

North Stars’ celebrate Forbes’ first goal of the season.

THe North Stars look for an insurance goal with Devin Buffalo out of position, but they couldn’t capitalize.

Dillon Forbes with a strong defensive effort against Flin Flon’s Dylan Balaski.

Blake Young protects the puck in the third period.

The Battlefords North Stars tried to eat up time in the final minute of the game, as they pinned the puck in Flin Flon’s zone for nearly 15 seconds.

Connor Creech makes his final save of the game to preserve the 2-1 win.

North Stars celebrate their fifth straight win.

A salute to the large crowd of North Stars supporters Tuesday at the Civic Centre.

After the game in an interview with Connor Creech he commending the team play in front of him and talked about the team moral after a five-game winning streak and spoke about the game winning goal: ‘That is the Dillon Forbes specialty. He has some touch.”

Battlefords North Stars versus Melville

The Battlefords North Stars may want to and likely have already forgotten about the 10-4 loss to Melville Saturday night, but here are some pictures from the game at the Civic Centre.

Head coach Kevin Hasselberg in a discussion with the officials Saturday.

Kyle Schmidt makes a pass in the neutral zone.

North Stars around their net before the anthem is played.

Governor Stew Demmans presents former North Stars trainer/equipment manager Dale Jackson with a sign jersey for his eight years of service with the team before the game.

North Stars celebrate one of their two first period goals.

Dillon Forbes with a body check in the third period.

Roger Tagoona tries to skate away from a defender.

Kyle Hall streaks down the right win in the second period.

Jake McMillen drives towards the Melville net.

McMillen again looking to shoot in the second period.

Braeden Johnson on the attack.

Casey Parker replaced Connor Creech in the second period and made his NOrth Stars’ debut. Unfortunately he surrendered fie goals and Creech came back into the game in the third period.

A scramble along the boards in the third period.

Braeden Johnson with a shot on Melville’s Troy Trombley.

Some rough stuff.

Connor Creech stretches infront of the North Stars’ bench before he re-enters the game.

Head coach Kevin Hasselberg in a discussion with the officials Saturday.

Kyle Schmidt makes a pass in the neutral zone.

North Stars around their net before the anthem is played.

Governor Stew Demmans presents former North Stars trainer/equipment manager Dale Jackson with a sign jersey for his eight years of service with the team before the game.

North Stars celebrate one of their two first period goals.

Dillon Forbes with a body check in the third period.

Roger Tagoona tries to skate away from a defender.

Kyle Hall streaks down the right win in the second period.

Jake McMillen drives towards the Melville net.

McMillen again looking to shoot in the second period.

Braeden Johnson on the attack.

Casey Parker replaced Connor Creech in the second period and made his NOrth Stars’ debut. Unfortunately he surrendered fie goals and Creech came back into the game in the third period.

A scramble along the boards in the third period.

Braeden Johnson with a shot on Melville’s Troy Trombley.

Some rough stuff.

Connor Creech stretches infront of the North Stars’ bench before he re-enters the game.

Also the North Stars practice today with out three players: Casey Parker, Josh Betinol and Spencer Gosslein, as they were in Humboldt for the second day of the SJHL’s Team West evaluation camp. The players were competing for a roster spot on the Team West, which will compete in Nova Scotia in November in the World Junior A Challenge.

Coach Kevin Hasselberg was also in Humboldt scouting and assisting with evaluations.

An injury update – Ben Greenaway skated shortly by himself after practice and said that he is likely a week or two away from playing after a leg injury he suffered in pre-season.

Brett Miller commits to York University Lions

He was one of the homegrown talents on the Battlefords North Stars that many fans rooted for and always wanted to see succeed.

Brett Miller battled through injuries throughout his junior career and played his last season with the Battlefords North Stars as a well respected, dedicated and valued member of the team. Miller will continue his hockey career at the university level, as he has committed to York University for the 2012-13 season.

The York University Lions play in the Ontario Athletic University West Conference and were fourth in their division last season with a 14-12-4 record.

Miller played 58 games in the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League with the North Stars this past season and recorded 16 goals and 26 assists. His first SJHL game was played during the 2007-08 season. He had a combined 161 SJHL games, 46 goals and 73 assists while playing in his hometown during a career that spanned five seasons.

Miller also played a total of 48 Western Hockey League games, splitting time with the Regina Pats, Red Deer Rebels, Everett Silvertips and Chilliwack Bruins.

The 6´4˝ power forward combined his speed and size into a difficult package for defenders to stop throughout his junior career and played not only an offensive role with the North Stars, but was a veteran who could play at both ends of the rink.

“Brett is a dedicated player that overcame the challenge of recovering from a serious injury,” said North Stars coach and general manager Kevin Hasselberg. “He was relentless in his pursuit to contribute to the success of the hockey team and provided leadership, intelligence and a very strong work ethic.”

Miller will join former Battlefords North Star Ryan Anderson and Mark Cross, who both graduated from the SJHL as Estevan Bruins.

Miller is one of nine 20-year-old players to graduate from the North Stars this season and is the second one to commit to a school/hockey program. The other North Star to commit for next season is Blake Tatchell, who accepted a scholarship to the University of Alaska-Anchorage earlier in the season.

North Stars vs. Humboldt

First of all I would like to wish everyone a holiday season and hope everyone enjoyed their time with family and friends.

Like coach Kevin Hasselberg said after the North Stars 3-2 loss to Humboldt Wednesday, “Our kids have worked extremely hard, our staff has worked extremely hard and we are all deserving of a break and take some time with our families and our loved ones in our lives.”

The North Stars, went into the Christmas break on a four-game losing streak, but the break may be just what they need. The team will be back practicing Friday an back in action Jan. 3 against Flin Flon.

Here are some photos from their last home game agains the Humboldt Bronocs.

Braeden Johnson and the North Stars take to the ice.

Blake Tatchell from the circle in the first period.

Action around the Humboldt Broncos’ net.

Brett Miller scores the game’s first goal and celebrates with Grayden Turner and Tanner Schwab.

Roger Tagoona moves the puck through the neutral zone.

Blake Tatchell faces off with Humboldt’s Robbie Ciolfi.

The North Stars on the penalty kill in the first period. Roach got a similar shot on the powerplay for Humboldt in the third period and it was the game winner.

Brett Miller reaches for a loose puck.

Action around the North Stars’ net in the second period.

Curtis Toneff makes a d-to-d pass.

Andrew Herle moves in shorthanded on a breakaway.

Herle scores on Graham Hildebrand.

Graham Hildebrand makes a good pad save in the second period.

Blake Tatchell centres a pass that is fired by Braeden Johnson in the third period.

Zach MacLellan, Roger Tagoona and Kyle Hall celebrate Hall’s goal in the third period.

Tanner Schwab.

Woody Klassen with the puck.

Wakelin strikes again

The North Stars were on the road in Nipawin last night, but those who tuned in to listen to the game on the radio would’ve wished they were there.

The North Stars trailed 3-2 going into the third and in fact trailed 3-2 with two seconds left in the third. At that point on a scramble around the net, Boyd Wakelin tied the game. It was Wakelin’s third of the season, his first two you may remember a game-winning goal with 6.6 seconds left in the game in Kindersley Sept. 17. The other goal prior to Tuesday night for Wakelin was a game tying goal in the final minutes of the third period against Melfort, where he also went on score the shoot out winner.

Not a bad start to the season. Wakelin was named the North Stars’ player of the month for September and he appears not to be taking his foot off the gas pedal, as he appears to have a gift to score the dramatic goals.

In an interview after the game against Melfort Kevin Hasselberg had this to say about Wakelin. “Boyd will surely have ups and downs during the season, but right now we are real happy we can ride this high he is on.”

That high has continued into the first game for the North Stars in October and with the first line of Blake Tatchell, Braeden Johnson and Brett Miller producing offensively and second line centre Kyle Hall picking up his first points of the season this week, the offence all appears to be coming together for the North Stars.

The next test will be the La Ronge Ice Wolves, who are 3-5-0-0 and have allowed the most goals this season, 28 and scored the least 16, but have won their last two games.

It may be the final game for La Ronge’s Marc Andre Carre, who signed a professional contract with the CHL’s Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees of the CHL. The Killer Bees exhibition season begins Oct. 13.

On the note of professional hockey, the three former North Stars in the ECHL have started training camp, as Derek Keller has be skating with the South Carolina Stingrays, Woody Klassen remains with the Greenville Road Warriors and do you remember the 6’8″ monster Jordan Lane who was with the team for just two weeks? Lane is one of 12 forwards remaining on the Elmira Jackals roster. Lane played for the Evansville IceMen of the CHL last season.