Forwards Jake Southgate and Mark Rumsay lead their teams in scoring, and are among the top game-breakers in the league this season. (Martin Martinson/battlefordsNOW Staff)

By Martin Martinson

Back in Action

North Stars host Bruins for first game of new year

Jan 4, 2022 | 1:09 PM

For the first time in two-and-a-half-weeks, the Battlefords North Stars will return to action in North Battleford, as they welcome the Estevan Bruins to town, for their first game of 2022.

Team outlook

The North Stars enter the new year second in the Global Ag. Risk Solutions Division and fifth overall in the league standings, with a 19-9-5 record, giving them 43 points on the season.

Estevan are first in the Viterra Division and second overall, with a 24-7-2 record, giving them 50 points.

Head coach of the Stars, Brayden Klimosko said the game will be a great way to get back into the swing of the season quickly off of the holidays.

Building on strong season

AAA Sharks supplement core with key summer signings

4h ago

Bandits Softball

U19 Bandits open season with gold in Alberta

May 15, 2024

Community walk

Walk for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women raises awareness of 'Stolen Sisters'

May 15, 2024

“I don’t know if there’s a better way to just jump right back into the second-half of the season then to play one of the top teams in the league right off the bat,” Klimosko said. “Obviously beating them last time, they’re going to be ready for us, so we’ll need to get our feet underneath us early and I think the energy and emotion will be there on both sides.”

Players to watch

The North Stars will be without rookie standout, Holden Doell, as the forward will serve his first of what will be a two-game suspension for a hit from behind assessed in the team’s final game prior to Christmas, in Humboldt.

Jake Southgate leads the Stars with 31 points this season, while his 14 goals are also tied for a club-best, along with Steven Kesslering (28 points).

Estevan are led by a trio of top-10 league scorers, including Mark Rumsay, who’s 27 goals lead all players, and 48 points sit second overall. Olivier Pouliot and Mikol Sartor are tied for second in Bruins’ scoring with 36 points apiece, while ranking third (Sartor) and fourth (Pouliot) respectively in assists.

Newest North Star makes debut

The North Stars also made a pair of moves to start the new year, trading forward K.T. Walters closer to home to Cowichan of the BCHL in exchange for a player development fee, which was then flipped to Canmore of the AJHL for 18-year-old forward, Evan Waldie.

Klimosko said the team was happy to add the forward, who will make his Stars’ debut Tuesday night.

“He’s got some offensive upside, and he’s still obviously young as an ’03, which helps us as we’re building for not only this year but years to come, so I think he’ll fit our group nicely,” the coach said.

Waldie will line up at left wing with the Stars Tuesday, alongside the ‘Killer B” combo of Bradley Blake and Colby Bear.

Special teams

Tuesday’s matchup will feature the league’s top two power plays, as the North Stars enter 2022 with the second-best man advantage, clicking at just under 24 per cent, to Estevan’s 25 per cent.

However, the Bruins do hold a decided advantage on the penalty kill this season, with the number-one ranked PK, at just under 92 per cent effectiveness, to the Stars’ 77 per cent (10^th).

Goaltending

Also featuring two of the top netminders in the league this season, one of the top matchups of the night comes between the pipes.

Michael Harroch holds a 10-3-3 record with the North Stars this season, along with a 2.81 goals-against average and .923 save percentage. Estevan’s Boston Bilous is 16-6-2, with a 1.85 goals-against average and .934 save percentage.

The NAPA Auto Parts North Stars Hockey Broadcast will be available on 1050 CJNB. The Ultra Print Pregame Show will begin at 7 p.m., with puck drop at 7:30 p.m.

North Stars lineup

Forwards:

M. Henry, D. Esau, S. Kesslering

J. Southgate, R. McNinch, K. Klein

E. Waldie, B. Blake, C. Bear

E. Scriven, D. Prymak, Z. Florence

Defencemen:

E. Rask, R. Little

S. Witt, T. Gold

T. Ewart, J. Grill

Goaltenders:

M. Harroch

L. Kenyon

—

Martin.Martinson@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @MartyMartyPxP1