By Martin Martinson

Home games for the Stars

North Stars at home for tilt with Terriers

Feb 8, 2019 | 1:48 PM

The Battlefords North Stars will no doubt be chomping at the bit to return to action tonight, as the team gets set for their first home game of the month, and second of the 2019 calendar year at the Civic Centre in North Battleford. The Stars will play host to the Yorkton Terriers this evening.

The North Stars sit neck-and-neck with the Humboldt Broncos for second spot in the Global Ag. Risk Solutions Division, entering play with 61 points on the year. Looking to rebound from a 5-3 defeat Wednesday evening to the Melfort Mustangs, the team’s loss snapped consecutive wins and a string of three-straight outings in which the team solidified at least a single point in the standings.

The Stars’ big line of MacGregor Sinclair, Owen Lamb and Braydon Buziak combined for two of the team’s three goals and five points total Wednesday night against Melfort.

Lamb notched his 20^th goal of the season, while Buziak scored his sixth goal in eight games.

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On the blue line, the North Stars will once again be tasked with staring down an elite offensive juggernaut, as this will be the Stars’ fifth game in their last six playing one of the top three offences in the league, between Flin Flon, Yorkton and Melfort.

The Yorkton Terriers are coming off a wild 6-5 win over Estevan Tuesday that saw the team score two unanswered goals in the third period to propel themselves back on the winning track after Saturday’s debacle, a 9-1 loss to the Stars. The Terriers will be on a mission to exact some revenge tonight for last Saturday’s loss while aiming to return the favor in role of spoiler as the visiting team this time around.

Yorkton forward Jared Legien, who sits third in league goals (35) and fifth in points (65), leading the Terriers in each category, is questionable for this evening. Legien who left part-way through Saturday’s loss to the Stars with an injury did not play in Yorkton’s last game, Tuesday.

Stepping up in the winger’s absence was Legien’s usual runningmate, Chantz Petruic. Petruic is coming off a two goal, four-point performance Tuesday. He now ranks sixth in league scoring in his own right, thanks to a 24 goal, 40 assist statline, giving the 19-year-old 64 points in just 47 games this year.

Looking to neutralize the Terriers’ attack, Stars’ defencemen Cody Spagrud and Noah Form will be relied upon to field tough defensive matchups against the opposition’s best, likely getting a healthy dose of Yorkton’s Petruic line with the likes of Cody Bruchkowski and Colby Brandt.

In addition to Petruic’s standout showing Tuesday night, Bruchkowski also picked up four points, while Brandt scored a pair.

The Battlefords’ Matthew Fletcher, Seth Summers pairing, meanwhile, will be called on to go head-to-head with the likes of Branden Klatt’s unit. It’s expected to feature some mix of Cole Keenlyeside, Dino Antoniadis and Aiden Bulych, depending on how spread out Yorkton bench boss, Mat Hehr opts to deploy his offensive weaponry.

With still the three key injuries up front to forwards Matthias Urbanski, Ryan Gil and Regan Doig, the North Stars will once again dress seven defencemen.

Ryan Granville and Garrett Johnson showcase the Stars’ depth of position filling out the third pairing with two right-hand shots who can skate, and defend. Austin Shumanski will draw back into the lineup and see some time on each pairing as the seventh defender, picking up additional ice time on the penalty kill.

Between the pipes, Chad Duran will get the nod for the black and silver, making his second start of February. His first, a 28-save performance against Melville Feb. 1, backstopped the Stars to a 3-2 overtime victory over the Millionaires.

Duran has four wins in six games as a North Star, posting a 1.63 goals-against average and .937 save percentage in the process.

Fans can catch tonight’s action at the North Battleford Civic Centre, and on 1050 CJNB beginning with the pregame show at 7:15 p.m. with puck drop to follow at 7:30 p.m.

North Stars lineup at a glance

Forwards:

B. Buziak, M. Sinclair, O. Lamb

Q. Loon-Stewardson, D. Heino, E. Loon-Stewardson

A. Becker, B. Gammer, D. Esau

K. Boser, L. Spence

Defencemen:

N. Form, C. Spagrud

S. Summers, M. Flecher

R. Granville, G. Johnson

A. Shumanski

Goaltenders:

C. Duran

J. Grzybowski

–

Martin.Martinson@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: MartyMartyPxP1