North Stars off to best start in over 16 years

More than just the number of wins though, perhaps most impressive has been the way the team has achieved their early success.

The Stars lead the SJHL with a plus-34 goal differential, 13 better than second place. The team has allowed the fewest goals-against per-game this season (1.7), while also scoring a league-high 51 goals through 10 games, for a goals per-game of 5.1 through the first month-plus.

What’s more, 16 different players have chipped in with at least a single tally (most of any team), while Keiton Klein leads the league with nine goals in 10 games, followed by Steven Kesslering with eight in eight games (tied for second with Nipawin’s Maguire Ratzlaff, who has eight in 11).

Captain, Jake Southgate leads the team, and sits tied for third overall in league scoring, with 14 points through 10 games. Monday, Southgate was named SJHL MVP of the Week, after scoring a goal and six points over his last three outings, including most recently, a four-point night (dropping the gloves as well) in Saturday’s 7-1 final over Weyburn.

The Stars’ depth has been tested, with several key players having missed time for stretches already this year.

Top-line centre, Holden Doell missed the first four games of the year due to injury, but has made up for lost time with nine points in six games since making his return to the lineup. Most recently, Doell is coming off a two-goal, one assist performance against Weyburn, Saturday.

Kesslering was handed a two-game suspension for a hit Tuesday night against La Ronge, forcing him to miss both games versus the Red Wings over the weekend, though he still remains just a single goal back of the league-lead.

Kian Bell, who sits tied for third in team scoring, wasn’t even with the Stars through training camp, instead joining as a late addition to the group from Cape Breton of the Quebec Major Junior League in late-September. Hitting the ground running with six goals and 11 points through just seven games played, Bell has scored five of his six goals in his last four games.

On the blue line, Tynan Ewart leads all defencemen with 10 points through 10 games this year, with a goal and nine assists. The veteran is tied atop the league leaderboard for defenders with Melfort’s Leyton Holoien, who has played an additional 11^th game.

Between the pipes, Josh Kotai has been the benchmark in league goaltending in this, his first season of SJHL play. Through the first month, last week’s SJHL Goaltender of the Week leads every major goaltending statistic with a perfect 8-0 record, along with a league-best 1.23 goals-against average and .962 save percentage.

Backup, Justen Maric has also been strong through his first two starts, having posted a 2-0 record with a 2.49 goals against average and .932 save percentage.

On special teams, the Stars’ 30.2 percent efficiency on the man-advantage is second to only Humboldt (31.8 percent), though they lead all teams with 16 power play goals through 10 games.

The penalty kill is perhaps the one area the team could look to improve, with a sixth-ranked 80.4 percent success rate on the kill. However, even there the Stars have been dangerous, having already scored three shorthanded goals.

The North Stars will return to action Friday in search of their 11^th straight against the Melfort Mustangs in North Battleford. The NAPA Auto Parts North Stars Broadcast will be available on 1050 CJNB, with the Ultra Print Pregame Show at 7 p.m., and puck drop to follow at 7:30 p.m.

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Martin.Martinson@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @MartyMartyPxP1

by Martin Martinson

North Stars off to best start in over 16 years

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