Stars’ forward Quintin Loon-Stewardson and Griffin Asham-Moroz of the Bruins, lead their respective teams in scoring heading into Friday’s matchup in Estevan. (Martin Martinson/battlefordsNOW Staff)

By Martin Martinson

Road swing continues

North Stars head to Estevan to battle Bruins

Oct 4, 2019 | 2:00 PM

After a brief off day Thursday, the Battlefords North Stars will return to the ice Friday night to take on the Estevan Bruins at Affinity Place in Estevan.

The Stars enter action Friday not only leading the Global Ag. Risk Solutions Division, but in top spot of the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League (SJHL) standings as a whole. The team has posted an 8-1 record through their opening nine games.

The Bruins, meanwhile, at 1-3-2 are a team likely to bring a certain level of desperation. Having won just a single game through their first six contests to begin the new campaign, the team will be hungry to get themselves back in the win column in front of the hometown crowd.

A large reason for the Battlefords’ success has been the depth of offensive contribution the team has received on a nightly basis.

Eighteen different players have chipped in already with at least a single goal through the team’s opening nine games. Perhaps more impressive yet, is how the Stars have been able to dominate their opposition at even-strength.

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The North Stars lead the league in goals with 47 through their opening nine contests, as the club is averaging just over five goals per-game on average.

Of those 47 goals, just seven have come on the man-advantage. That means just over 85 percent of their total goal production has come during five-on-five play. To put those numbers in perspective, Estevan has scored just 14 goals through six games this season, with only 11 coming at even-strength.

The Stars’ offensive attack is led into Friday by forwards Elijah Loon-Stewardson and Rylan Nivon. Each of the pair will return to play this weekend looking to stay red hot.

Loon-Stewardson is coming off a hattrick performance Wednesday in Melville, while Nivon has scored in three-straight contests dating back to last weekend.

The pair are just two of five North Stars’ players to have cracked double-digit point totals through the first nine games this year.

Quintin Loon-Stewardson and Austin Becker are tied for the team lead with 13 points apiece, while Urbanski and Elijah Loon-Stewardson have 11. Nivon, who has been held pointless in just a single game this year, rounds out the top five with 10 points.

Forward Rylan Nivon (#23) has fit in seamlessly with the North Stars this season, providing scoring, leadership and veteran intangibles to a youthful Battlefords hockey club. (Martin Martinson/battlefordsNOW Staff)

Estevan, by contrast, have struggled to produce offense through the early going this season, averaging just 2.3 goals per-game through their first six games.

Griffin Asham-Moroz leads the Bruins in scoring with five points through six games. Forwards Jayden Davis, Tanner Manz, Tyler Savage and defenceman Devan Harrison, are each tied for runner-up in the Bruins’ scoring race, with four points apiece.

For the Bruins to find success Friday, their best player will likely need to be their goaltender.

Goalie Keenan Rancier has suited up in five of the Bruins’ first six games to begin the year, including getting the start in four of those five games.

While the 19-year-old has just one win to show for his efforts, Rancier’s personal stats have been excellent. The Victoria BC., product has posted a 2.18 goals-against average and .936 save percentage, keeping his team in games more nights than not.

Bruins’ goaltender Keenan Rancier will likely need a big game tonight for the Bruins to find success against the high-flying North Stars. Rancier stopped 44 of 46 North Stars’ shots in the first matchup of the season-series between the North Stars and Bruins, a 3-1 Battlefords victory at the Civic Centre back on Sept. 21. (Martin Martinson/battlefordsNOW Staff)

At the other end, after giving rookies Parker Rey and Austin Schwab the first two starts of the team’s current four-game road trip, the Stars will hand the reigns back to 19-year-old Adam Dmyterko tonight.

Dmyterko has been tremendous for the Battlefords from the outset this season. Posting a 5-0 record through his first five starts, Dmyterko’s 2.40 goals-against average and .931 save percentage are each amongst the top statlines at the position through the early part of the season. (Martin Martinson/battlefordsNOW Staff)

Friday’s game will be broadcast on 1050 CJNB. The Ultra Print Pregame Show will begin at 7:15 p.m. with puck drop at 7:30 p.m. on NAPA North Stars Hockey on 1050 CJNB.

North Stars lineup

Forwards:

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

A. Becker, R. McNinch, R. Nivon

S. Kesslering, B. Gammer, D. Esau

C. Reagan, K. Boser, L. Spence

Defencemen:

N. Form, D. McCabe

S. Summers, M. Fletcher

L. Antoniuk, W. Somers

Goaltenders:

A. Dmyterko

A. Schwab

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Martin.Martinson@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: MartyMartyPxP1