By Nathan Kanter

COLUMN: Hawks tougher matchup for North Stars than Bombers

Apr 8, 2017 | 12:00 PM

The Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League finals are still six days away but the North Stars have already booked their ticket after sweeping Estevan Tuesday night.

The other semifinal series, however, is not yet complete.

After Flin Flon’s 2-1 win over Nipawin last night, things just got interesting, as the Bombers only trail 3-2 in the best-of-7 series.

The question now for many Battlefords fans: which opponent poses a greater challenge for the North Stars should they advance?

The season series against each was close, as Battlefords split four games against Nipawin and edged Flin Flon 3-1. But as the first two rounds proved, the season series really doesn’t mean all that much.

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That being said, I believe it is beneficial for the North Stars to avoid the Hawks, and instead face the Bombers in the Canalta Cup Finals.

Goaltending can be a series breaker

Nipawin’s Kristian Stead won the league’s most valuable player and goaltender of the year awards this season for a reason.

The Merritt, B.C. native was tied for the league lead with a .936 save percentage and had a 29-12-1 record to go along with seven shutouts, which led the league.

In the playoffs so far, Stead is 7-1 with a .953 save percentage and 1.63 goals-against-average. His numbers head-to-head from the regular season against Battlefords are also quite strong, with a .939 save percentage and 2.28 goals-against-average in four games, where he went 2-2.

The Bombers, on the other hand, don’t have a Kristian Stead of their own.

They began with Zac Robidoux in these playoffs, who won four of five games against Notre Dame in the quarter-finals, but he’s been pulled twice in the post-season and last night they went with Brenden Newton, who stopped 29 of 30 shots and got the win.

Robidoux’s numbers are very ordinary in these playoffs, a 2.51 goals-against-average and .905 save percentage, and while Newton’s numbers have been good in relief, again, he’s no Kristian Stead.

Defence wins championships

It’s a cliche for a reason and the numbers overwhelming say Nipawin is a better defensive team than Flin Flon.

Flin Flon allowed 150 goals this year, while Nipawin allowed 118. In any other regular season, 118 would have led the league by miles, but it just so happens that the North Stars set a new league record with just 103, which led all of junior A hockey in Canada.

In the playoffs, Flin has allowed 2.3 goals per game, while Nipawin has allowed 1.78.

Bombers more penalized

In these playoffs so far, the Bombers have been handed 26.5 penalty minutes per game, whereas Nipawin has only been given 18.8.

It just so happens that the North Stars power play is on fire right now, operating at a 30.8 per cent clip.

Clearly, it would be a benefit for Battlefords to face a team more likely to head to the sin bin.

History should provide extra spark

Everyone knows how last year’s playoffs ended for the North Stars and I think that will help provide an extra spark.

The Flin Flon team that knocked out Battlefords in round two is not the same on paper, but Flin Flon is still Flin Flon. Half of the North Stars players on this year’s roster know what that bitter taste feels like and if they face Nipawin, that extra bit of motivation will be harder to come by.

There are no numbers to back this up, but if the matchup comes to fruition, just wait and see for yourself how motivated the North Stars will be if they get another crack at Flin Flon.

The Bombers and Hawks will square off for game six in Nipawin on Sunday evening at 6 p.m. If Flin Flon manages a win, game seven will go on Tuesday night back in Flin Flon at 7:30 p.m.

nathan.kanter@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @NathanKanter11