Marquee matchups aplenty for Stars, Terriers in round 2

If there was an MVP Award for most valuable player through the first round of the playoffs, Stars’ netminder Joel Grzybowski would more than likely be polishing his hardware as we speak. The Hafford, Sask., product is coming off a series that saw the 19-year-old post an outstanding 1.88 goals-against average and .948 save percentage to lead his team to the second round.

Grzybowski, who stopped all 37 shots he faced in Game 1 against the Bombers back on Mar. 15, set the tone for the series with the performance.

Following up his shutout in Game 1, Grzybowski then pulled a six-game encore, stopping at least 37 shots in five of the seven games, while holding a Bombers’ offense that had averaged over four goals per-game over the regular season, to two goals or less in five of the seven games.

At the other end of the ice, after splitting starts with Andrew Henderson through the final two-and-a-half months of the regular season, 18-year-old Ryan Ouellette has emerged as the clear starter for Yorkton after getting the nod in all 10 of his team’s playoff games so far.

Saving his best for when the moment shines the brightest, the Colorado, CO., product, Ouellette stopped 43 of 47 shots in the deciding Game 3 against Notre Dame, and 37 of 40 in Game 7 against the Hawks.

Ouellette has posted a 3.02 goals-against average and .916 save percentage this postseason.

On the blue line – Cody Spagrud and Brendan Mark

On the blue line, fans are sure to see another excellent matchup between elite rearguards in the league.

Stars’ captain Cody Spagrud, who finished third in defenseman scoring this season with 42 points, has continued to be a force this postseason at both ends. The 5’11, 192 lbs defenseman logged around 30 minutes of ice time per game against the top offensive threats of the Bombers throughout Round 1.

Now in his fourth year with the Stars, Spagrud has shown that in addition to being a brute force physically, the Gull Lake native also has a penchant for coming up large in the biggest moments, like his tying goal just 15 seconds into the second period of Game 6 against the Bombers, to knot the score for his team.

Terriers captain Brendan Mark, at the other end, finished second amongst defensemen in scoring with 51 points in 58 games this season.

A third-year SJHL veteran, Mark is in his first full season with the Terriers after being acquired from Estevan last year. Mark has made his mark as the undisputed go-to option in all situations on the Terriers’ backend.

Mark has been especially dangerous on the power play, where the defencemen’s 20 power play points ranked third amongst blue liners this year, a big reason for his team’s top-three man-advantage ranking as a unit, clicking at over 20 per cent.

At the dot – Chantz Petruic and MacGregor Sinclair

Stars’ center, MacGregor Sinclair and Terriers pivot, Chantz Petruic each led their respective teams in scoring this season.

Petruic finished fourth in league scoring with 84 points, while Sinclair placed sixth with 72.

Having scored five goals, 11 points through the spring so far, Petruic sits second on the Terriers, and third overall in the scoring race this playoffs.

A diminutive forward with premier playmaking acumen, Petruic has come through in spades for his side in elimination games, scoring three points in the deciding Game 3 of the Survivor Series against Weyburn, and another two goals in Game 7 against Nipawin.

Sinclair, a well-rounded offensive threat equally adept at passing the puck or firing it home himself, had his breakout offensive performance in Game 5 against Flin Flon, scoring two goals, three points, to provide a direct hand in each of his team’s three goals on the night. Despite being held off the scoresheet in Games 6 & 7 of the series, the Irma, Alta., product only appeared to get stronger as the series wore on.

In addition to the offensive contribution, Sinclair also played primary shutdown minutes matched up against the Hooper line in the quarterfinals. Sinclair will likely find himself this series matched up often against the Petruic unit.

Down the wing – Jared Legien and Braydon Buziak

Winger Jared Legien has been an offensive catalyst for the Terriers this season, after returning from the WHL where he spent the last four seasons split between Kootenay, Victoria, Regina and Vancouver.

The six-foot-two, 200 pound left winger has been a terror for opposition goalies all season long, as indicated by his 35 goals and 65 points in just 44 games this season.

Legien has five points this postseason and is coming off a two-goal performance in Game 7 against the Hawks.

North Stars’ forward Braydon Buziak, who also played Major Junior with both Regina and Victoria over the last two seasons, has also been a handful for opponents to handle, as indicated by his 20 goals and 52 points on the season, good for third on the team in each stat category.

Buziak, who at 5’11, 195 lbs is a freight train flying down the wing, is tied for the team-lead this postseason with three goals, including the overtime game-winning goal in Game 3 against the Bombers.

Young guns – Quintin Loon-Stewardson and Aiden Bulych

After finishing sixth amongst freshmen with 14 goals and 28 points in just 51 games this season, Stars’ forward Quintin Loon-Stewardson has cranked up his game another notch further this postseason.

Loon-Stewardson leads the Stars in scoring, and tops all rookies this playoffs following the team’s first round seven-game series, having amassed a team-high three goals, 10 points while manning center ice duties within the top six forward group.

Terriers’ forward Aiden Bulych, led all rookies in scoring through the regular season, collecting 13 goals, 36 assists, good for 49 points, a league-best amongst first-year players.

Through 10 games of the playoffs, Bulych has been held to just a single assist, but as shown throughout the course of the regular season to be a threat to score at all times with the puck on his stick.

The Ultra Print Pregame Show will begin at 7 p.m. Friday, with puck drop at 7:30 p.m. on NAPA North Stars Hockey on 1050 CJNB/CJNS. Voice of the North Stars, Marty Martinson will have the call on the action.

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Martin.Martinson@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: MartyMartyPxP1

by Martin Martinson

Marquee matchups aplenty for Stars, Terriers in round 2

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