North Stars’ forward, Quintin Loon-Stewardson (#22), has picked up four points over his last three games and leads the team with 20 goals, 35 points heading into play against the Hounds Tuesday. (Martin Martinson/battlefordsNOW Staff)

By Martin Martinson

Rivalry night

New Stars to make debut in showdown with Hounds

Dec 3, 2019 | 1:24 PM

Less than a week since their first showdown of the season series, the Battlefords North Stars will travel to Wilcox for the second time in six days to battle it out with the division-rival, Notre Dame Hounds at Duncan McNeil Arena.

Following last Thursday’s 4-2 defeat, the Hounds will be hungry to earn some retribution against the surging Stars, who sit atop the Global Ag. Risk Division and league as a whole, having won 19 of their last 21 games and 26 of 29 overall heading into play.

The Hounds on the other hand, have posted an 11-16-2 record thus far this season, good for fourth in the division and ninth overall in the standings.

Tuesday’s game will be the Stars’ first since the team made a pair of blockbuster moves over the weekend. The club acquired forwards, Jaxon Steele from Prince George of the British Columbia Hockey League (BCHL) and Ben Hiltz from the Weyburn Red WIngs on back-to-back days Saturday and Sunday.

Both Steele and Hiltz will be in the lineup Tuesday to make their North Stars’ debut wearing the Battlefords’ black and silver.

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Lining up together alongside Matthias Urbanski in the Stars’ top six, at 6-2 and 6-3 respectively, the pair bring added size and skill to the fold for the Battlefords.

Newly acquired forwards, Ben Hiltz (left) and Jaxon Steele (right) should fit in nicely with a Stars’ forward group which has averaged over four goals per-game this season. Hiltz will wear #26 for the team, while Steele will suit up in #19. (supplied photos/SJHL.ca, WHL.ca)

At the other end, Notre Dame will be counting on their big dogs to help snap a three-game slide.

Forward, Sho Takai enters play likely the hottest player on the Notre Dame side.

Following up his two-goal performance against the Battlefords last Thursday with another against the Bruins over the weekend, the Coquitlam, B.C., product, Takai enters play with points in five-straight and three goals over his last two games.

Goaltender Adam Dmyterko will get the call for the Stars in net. Dmyterko has posted a sterling 2.39 goals-against average and .927 save percentage in 14 games with the team this year.

Tuesday night will be Dmyterko’s first start since Nov. 13, as the 19-year-old will look to provide his team an additional shot in the arm in his return to play from an upper body injury.

At the other end, Riley Kohonick is likely to get the start for the Hounds after getting the night off against the Bruins. Kohonick stopped 28 of 32 Stars’ shots Thursday and enters play with a 2.93 goals-against average and .914 save percentage.

Tuesday’s game will be broadcast on 1050 CJNB. The Ultra Print Pregame Show will begin at 7:45 p.m. with puck drop to follow at 8 p.m. on the NAPA Auto Parts North Stars Hockey Broadcast.

North Stars lineup

Forwards:

R. Nivon, Q. Loon-Stewardson, E. Loon-Stewardson

M. Urbanski, B. Hiltz, J. Steele

A. Becker, D. Esau, S. Kesslering

L. Spence, K. Boser, H. Partsch

Defencemen:

S. Summers, M. Fletcher

N. Form, D. McCabe

L. Antoniuk, T. Prexler

Goaltenders:

A. Dmyterko

A. Schwab

—

Martin.Martinson@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: MartyMartyPxP1