Stars’ forward Brett Gammer, pictured here, leads the team in scoring with seven points heading into the club’s matchup with the Flin Flon Bombers Tuesday afternoon. (Martin Martinson/battlefordsNOW Staff)

By Martin Martinson

Stars in action

Fireworks likely as North Stars and Bombers collide

Sep 24, 2019 | 10:41 AM

Riding the wave of four-straight victories to kick off the new season, the Battlefords North Stars will put their perfect 4-0 record on the line against the Flin Flon Bombers.

An early afternoon start with puck drop at 1 p.m., Tuesday’s game will mark the second and final contest of the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League (SJHL) Showcase in Warman for both the Battlefords and Flin Flon.

The matchup will serve as the first meeting between the two sides since the Stars narrowly edged out the Bombers in the first-round of the playoffs last Spring. The North Stars took the series in thrilling seven-game fashion. It was a roller coaster ride featuring four overtime games, including one triple-overtime affair.

Flin Flon will be hungry to show the shoe is on the other foot come this season.

The Bombers, like the Stars, have come out flying to begin the new campaign.

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The team is 4-1 through their opening five games and once again look to be an offensive force to be reckoned with through the early going.

The North Stars and Bombers enter action Tuesday with the two highest goals-per-game averages in the league through the first week-and-a-half of the season. Both clubs have seen a tremendous depth of offensive production come through for the team hot out of the gate.

The Stars have scored 21 goals through their opening four games, or 5.25 goals-per-game. Flin Flon meanwhile, has picked up 24 goals through five contests, for a 4.8 goals-per-game average.

Each team has seen 12 different players light the lamp already.

Perhaps the biggest difference between the two sides is how those goals have been scored.

A large contributing factor to the Flin Flon attack has been the team’s proficiency on the man advantage.

The Bombers boast the top power play percentage in the league, clicking along at 30.3 per cent for 10 goals while up the extra man.

Flin Flon forward, and defending SJHL Player of the Week, Donavan Houle-Villeneuve provides the proverbial straw that stirs the drink on the power play for the team.

The Flying Frenchman leads the league in both goals (six) and points (12). Three of those goals and eight of his points have come on the power play.

The Stars, by contrast, have scored a league-high 18 of their 21 goals at even-strength.

Stars’ forward Brett Gammer, who leads the team in scoring, has picked up six of his seven points during five-on-five play.

Austin Becker, who leads the team in goals, ranks second in the league in even-strength goal production, with four of his five tallies having come 5-on-5.

Whether on the power play or at full strength, perhaps the biggest key to deciding Tuesday’s contest will come down to which team can win the duel between the pipes.

Both the Stars and Bombers have averaged just over 40 shots per game through the early part of the season.

After getting Monday night off, Stars’ netminder Adam Dmyterko will return to the crease this afternoon for his team.

Dmyterko has been a tower of strength for the Battlefords through the early going, having posted a perfect 3-0 record, along with a sublime 2.00 goals-against average and .942 save percentage.

At the other end, workhorse goaltender Jacob Delorme has started all five games the Bombers have played so far. Delorme has a 2.79 goals-against average and .917 save percentage.

Tuesday’s game will be broadcast on 1050 CJNB. The Ultra-Print Pregame Show will begin at 12:45 p.m. with puck drop at 1 p.m.

North Stars lineup at a glance

Forwards:

M. Urbanski, Q. Loon-Stewardson, E. Loon-Stewardson

A. Becker, R. McNinch, R. Nivon

K. Boser, B. Gammer, D. Esau

C. Reagan, D. Prymak, S. Kesslering

Defencemen:

N. Form, D. McCabe

S. Summers, M. Fletcher

W. Somers, T. Prexler

Goaltenders:

A. Dmyterko

P. Rey

—

Martin.Martinson@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: MartyMartyPxP1