NORTH BATTLEFORD - It was indeed a happy birthday for Battlefords North Stars head coach Brayden Klimosko on Tuesday.
The North Stars gave the head coach a big birthday present with a 3-1 win over the Kindersley Klippers on Tuesday night, giving the North Stars two out of three wins on their most recent home stand, following a 5-3 loss to Yorkton and a 4-3 overtime win against Notre Dame.
The game marked the debut in net for rookie Lowen Kenyon, and it was a strong outing for him as he stopped 29 of 30 shots.
But it did get off to a nervous start for Kenyon as the Klippers scored first just 33 seconds into the game. Max Kathol scored from Carson Baylis and Ethan King to make it 1-0.
After that the North Stars took command. Zane Florence tied it at 1-1 from Colby Bear at the 13:53 mark. Then at 18:37 Ethan Scriven gave the North Stars the lead from Ryland McNinch.
A second period goal from Colby Bear at 13:53 would wrap up the scoring on the day. Shots favored the North Stars 32-30.
Attendance on Tuesday was announced at 307 fans, the lowest crowd of the season, but those fans saw the North Stars win their second in a row to move within four points of Humboldt in the Global Ag Tech Solutions division.
The North Stars face Kindersley again this Friday on the road, before returning home to face Nipawin Saturday.
