Bears forward Jasper Desmarais scored the first goal for the Bears in the 2019-20 season. Jeff D'Andrea/paNOW Staff

By Jeff D'Andrea

Bears claw

Bears claw back to beat Stars in OT, kicking off the season with big home win

Sep 29, 2019 | 4:03 PM

The Prince Albert Northern Bears opened up their Esso Cup hosting 2019-20 season with a resilient 4-3 overtime win over the Saskatoon Stars Sunday at the Art Hauser Centre.

Bears defender McKenzie Mayo ended the game 29 seconds into the extra frame, going on a solo end-to-end rush and ripping a wrist shot high on the blocker side to give the Bears their first victory of the regular season.

“I had an opportunity and I wasn’t going to stop my feet,” Mayo said. “It’s awesome. I was really excited to start the season, and to be able to go into the season with a win is awesome.”

Although the Bears ended up with the overtime win, they never actually held the lead at any point against the Stars. In fact, they faced three different deficits but were able to answer back and tie it up each time.

“We didn’t give up once, and that says a lot,” Mayo said.

Imminent need

Council set to discuss possible location for homeless shelter on 15th Street

3h ago

International Spotlight

P.A.'s Howe one of 4 Sask. born players named to Canada's World Junior roster

19h ago

National

Ottawa to remove 30% investment cap for Canadian pension funds

23h ago

Bears fourth-year forward Jasper Desmarais scored a pair of goals in regulation for the Bears.

She knifed through the entire Stars defence and tucked one just under the bar to tie the game up two minutes into the second period. Then on the power play with just over six minutes remaining in regulation, Desmarais’ shot found its way through a crowd of bodies and into the Stars goal to make it a 3-3 game.

“Jasper kept her feet moving,” Bears head coach Jeff Willoughby said. “I liked her shift length; it was around 30 seconds all night long. She worked her tail off. We need her to be that player for us.”

Scoring the second Bears goal was Lauren Willoughby, who went all of last season without scoring a goal (although she was erroneously credited for one on the SFMAAAHL website). Her tip in the second period tied up the game at 2-2 in the second period.

Bears goaltender Dani Day got her first career SFMAAAHL victory in goal, making 19 saves on 22 shots.

Emily Holmes, Bridget Rezansoff and Sydney Mercier all scored for the Stars. Arden Kliewer made 28 saves on 32 shots in goal for the Stars.

Next up, the Bears will host the Weyburn Gold Wings on Oct. 5-6 at the Art Hauser Centre. But after that, the Bears won’t play another regular season game until Nov. 8 when they go to Weyburn to play the Gold Wings again for a three-night set from Nov. 8-10.

The Gold Wings have only won one game the previous three seasons, but Willoughby still wants to see his team play their best game.

“Another test for us is Weyburn. Obviously, we can’t anyone at all lightly. We have to come out firing and we have to leave everything out on the ice next weekend. We’re off 32 days, we’re not saving it for nothing.”

–

Jeff.dandrea@Jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @jeff_paNOW