Stars’ forward Matthias Urbanski will be one of 10 North Stars’ players returning to the lineup for the Battlefords Friday night, ahead of the team’s final regular season home game this year. (Martin Martinson/battlefordsNOW Staff)

By Martin Martinson

rivalry renewed

Stars welcome Klippers to town to commence end of season home-and-home

Feb 28, 2020 | 2:34 PM

The Battlefords North Stars will return to the Civic Centre Friday for their final home game of the regular season, as the rival Kindersley Klippers come to town.

The showdown will be the first of a home-and-home series between the two sides this weekend to cap the regular season schedule for both sides.

The North Stars (44-10-2) enter play in top spot of the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League (SJHL) standings with 90 points on the season, while Kindersley (23-26-7) were the first team to miss the playoff cut, in ninth place overall with 53 points.

While Friday’s game may not have any playoff implications, it remains must-see action. The North Stars lead the season-series 4-2 through the opening six installments, with Kindersley being one of only four teams to hand the Stars more than a single loss this season.

The Battlefords’ lineup will receive a huge boost Friday, thanks to a return to action from Quintin Loon-Stewardson, Ben Hiltz, Elijah Loon-Stewardson, Austin Becker, Matthias Urbanski and Jaxon Steele up front, along with Matthew Fletcher, Seth Summers, Noah Form and Dylan McCabe on the back end. All 10 players were absent from the lineup in the team’s 6-1 loss to Humboldt Wednesday.

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The Klippers will look to respond with an attack led by forward Liam Fraser, that has helped give the team two straight wins ahead of the weekend meeting.

Fraser sits first in Klippers’ scoring with 28 goals and 47 points through 54 games this year and has been especially hot of late, having collected three goals over his last four games.

Between the pipes, Kristian Lyon will get the start for the Stars. Through eight games this season, Lyon has posted a 7-1 record to go along with a 2.13 goals-against average and .940 save percentage.

Goaltender Matt Sankner will likely counter for the Klippers. Sankner has posted a 10-7 record through 22 games this year and enters play with a 2.59 goals-against average and .923 save percentage.

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

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Martin.Martinson@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: MartyMartyPxP1