The Battlefords Stars probably deserved better than a split after all the shots they fired at the Swift Current Legionnaires this weekend.
Despite a two-game total of 104 shots, they mustered only one win at the end of it as the Stars split the weekend games with the Legionnaires. Still, it was a good enough showing to remain in the dogfight at the top of the league, with a record of 13 wins and 5 losses for third overall in Midget AAA league action.
The game Saturday started slowly at the Credit Union iPlex, but turned into a blowout by the end as the Stars scored eight unanswered en route to a 10-1 rout of the Legionnaires.
They scored only once in the first period, from Kaelan Holt, but three goals in the second from Kaleb Dahlgren, Kyle Salaway and then Holt again made it 4-0.
Goals in the third by Salaway, Braydon Buziak, Spencer Bast and then Holt again for the hat trick made it 8-0 before the Legionnaires' Josh Stang was able to get one past Talen King. Chad Grambo and Layne Young completed the scoring for the Stars in the third period. Final shots on goal were 44-25 for the Stars.
The rematch on Sunday was a different story from the get-go despite a strong effort by the Stars offence on the day.
Despite out shooting the Legionnaires 19-9 in the first period and 14-9 in the second, it was the Legionnaires that put the Stars in a hole with three unanswered goals before the Stars' Kaleb Dahlgren scored a power-play marker in the second to answer.
Jared Hillis's goal brought the team to within one at the end of the second period with another power play goal, and then Dahlgren completed the comeback with his second of the game with six minutes left in the third, to tie it at 3-3.
Unfortunately, Tristan Hermanson's goal with 1:12 remaining sunk the hopes of the Stars on this afternoon, and the Legionnaires won it 4-3.
Incredibly, the Stars fired 60 shots at the Legionnaires to 26 for Swift Current, but they simply couldn't solve Chantz Vinck in the Legionnaires' net.
The Stars remain on the road next weekend as they head to Notre Dame for games against the Argos Saturday and the Hounds Sunday.
