Captain Ray Sheffield rejoined his team while imports Adrian Saul, Steven Kaye and Eric Lafreniere took apart a depleted Bears side with four, three and three points respectively.

With a full team available against a Bears team missing their three marquee players, the North Stars were confident enough to play backup goalie Chris Kelly, who recorded 21 saves from 23 shots in his first start of the season.

In the first period, the North Stars recorded a 2-0 lead that was never surrendered, the first by Adrian Saul short-handed and next five on five by Casey Minson.

Kaye scored on the power play in the second period and Saul scored his second before the North Stars got into penalty trouble and the Bears were able to score their first of the night on the power play.

The North Stars carried their 4-1 lead into the third and final period that featured so many near-goals that the game began to resemble a comedy.

It took a short-handed rush by the North Stars in the only penalty kill of the third period for Sheffield to score his first goal of the season thanks to fellow penalty-killers Minson and Sean Oultram.

On the same penalty kill, the Bears registered their second goal, again from Bears import Paul Baranzelli.

Seconds later, Lafreniere sealed the game at 6-2.

Coach Don Champagne used the opportunity to test his younger players against a softer adversary.

“I allowed the second and third line a chance to perform in this game to take the pressure off the imports.

“It was a game we knew we wouldn’t lose since the Bears had lost some of their key players.”

Kelly was voted hard worker of the game by his team mates.

This is the North Stars 11th win of the season and ninth in succession, keeping them well ahead of the other teams in the AIHL.

The Inski North Stars will return home this weekend with a double header against the Canberra Knights on Saturday and the Sydney Ice Dogs on Sunday.

Saturday’s game is a fundraiser where there will be items being auctioned off to the crowd to raise money for Allambi Youth Foundation. – PETER LAMBERT