North Stars head to Weyburn looking to cap road swing with two points against Wings

Weyburn on the other hand, will be looking for a big win tonight as well. Taking a 4-5 record through their first nine games into play Saturday, the Red Wings sit just a single point back of Melville for top spot in the Viterra Division.

Weyburn are led up front by their big line, anchored by Wings’ captain, Ben Hlitz.

Hiltz has picked up four goals, eight points through his team’s opening nine games, while his linemates Braden Birnie and Jacob Piller have also picked up eight points apiece.

The trio’s production has been crucial for a Weyburn team that has otherwise struggled for offense through the early going.

The Wings have scored just 22 goals through nine games, for an average of just under 2.5 goals per-game.

The Stars on the other hand, have scored just under five goals per contest through their first 10 games.

Quintin Loon-Stewardson leads the team with 14 points, while Austin Becker (13), Elijah Loon-Stewardson (12), Matthias Urbanski (12) and Rylan Nivon (10) round out the top five.

Altogether, a league-high 18 different players have chipped in on the offensive attack with at least a single goal so far for the team.

A large reason for the North Stars’ success this season has been their seemingly unmatched depth, both up front, and on the blue line. That depth may face its biggest test yet however, as a few key players appear to be nicked up, perhaps needing a game or two to recover.

One of the team’s key cogs who has been ruled out for the Stars Saturday is defenceman, Seth Summers.

A soon-to-be 20-year-old rearguard now in his second season with the team, Summers has been a force at both ends of the ice this season for the Battlefords.

Counted on nightly to log big minutes for the team, Summers serves as an alternate captain and one-half of the team’s go-to shutdown unit on the back end, alongside captain Matthew Fletcher.

Summers’ absence in the top four on the blue line, while felt, will also provide opportunity for some of the younger Stars to step into a more prominent role.

Eighteen-year-old Liam Antoniuk is perhaps most likely to fill in alongside the captain, Fletcher Saturday.

Antoniuk, who is a left-handed shot, has played in eight of the team’s 10 games so far providing a solid two-way game. Bringing size, strength and excellent positional play, Antoniuk could slot in and thrive with additional ice time in a top-four role.

Fellow left-handed shot, Jordan Gagnon is another option to fill in alongside Fletcher Saturday.

Although he has played just two games with the team thus far, Gagnon has shown flashes of excellence with an ability to move the puck swiftly up ice, onto the attack.

Additionally, blue liners Timon Prexler and Walter Somers, as right-hand shots, could get a look on their off-hand side as well.

Between the pipes, goaltender Adam Dmyterko will get his second-straight start in as many nights. Dmyterko is coming off a shutout performance Friday night against Estevan, and will be looking to provide a similar effort this evening for his team.

Dmyterko enters play this evening with a perfect 6-0 record, to go along with a shimmering 2.00 goals-against average and .942 save percentage.

At the other end, Weyburn is likely to hand the reigns to either 19-year-old Noah Decottignies or soon-to-be 19-year-old Aaron De Kok.

Decottignies has picked up three victories through his first six games, posting a 2.57 goals-against average and .927 save percentage. De Kok has one win in five games, while sporting a 4.52 goals-against average and .867 save percentage.

Saturday’s game will be broadcast on 93.3 The Rock. The Ultra Print Pregame Show will begin at 7:15 p.m. with puck drop at 7:30 p.m. on the NAPA North Stars Hockey Broadcast.

North Stars lineup TBD

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Martin.Martinson@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: MartyMartyPxP1

by Martin Martinson

North Stars head to Weyburn looking to cap road swing with two points against Wings

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