Stars forwards Keiton Klein and Riley Girod combined for a goal and three assists Thursday night against the Terriers in Yorkton, where the team return Saturday. (Martin Martinson/battlefordsNOW Staff)

By Martin Martinson

Going for 11th straight

Stars wrap final road trip into holidays, in Yorkton

Dec 17, 2022 | 3:00 PM

The Battlefords North Stars will hit the ice Saturday night in Yorkton for the final game of their three-in-three road swing, and final game ahead of the Christmas Holidays.

Playing the Yorkton Terriers for the fourth time in the season series and second time in the last three nights, the North Stars (27-0-2-1) enter play in top spot of the league standings, in search of their 11^th straight win and fourth straight against the Terriers.

Yorkton (13-19-0-0) are second in the Viterra Division and ninth overall in the league standings, sitting just outside the final playoff spot. With a win the team can leapfrog Notre Dame for their eighth spot heading into the break, though the Hounds will hold four games in hand.

Yorkton will be hungry to bounce back from a 9-6 defeat to the Battlefords Thursday night, now in their final game ahead of the holiday break as well, on their home ice.

The North Stars’ offense has been firing on all cylinders of late, following up a nine-goal output featuring seven different goal scorers Thursday night, with another three goals from three different players Friday in the team’s OT win over Melville.

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Through the first two games of the road trip, the Stars have seen their top line of Kian Bell (three goals, six points), Holden Doell (two goals, six points) and Jake Southgate (one goal, four points) combine for six goals and 16 points.

The team has also seen all four lines chip in with at least a single goal, as Colby Bear, Steven Kesslering, Riley Girod, Jackson Allan and Zane Florence have also scored for the team in their last two nights.

At the other end, Yorkton are coming off a tough third period that saw the team squander a 4-3 lead through 40 minutes to allow six unanswered Stars goals in the third in the 9-6 final.

However, the team did see five different goal scorers get on the board in Thursday’s game, an offensive boon for a Terriers club sitting 10^th in total offense this year.

Greg Nelson (two goals, three points), Logan Cyca (one goal, three points), and Clay Sleeva (one goal, two points) are each coming off multi-point games.

With both offenses clicking of late, the goaltending will be at the forefront of the matchup.

Josh Kotai will make his second consecutive start for the Stars, coming off a 38/40 save performance against the Millionaires. In 22 games this season, Kotai is 19-0-2-1 with a league-best 1.94 goals against average and .945 save percentage.

At the other end, Caleb Allen will get a shot at redemption between the pipes Saturday, after staying in for all nine goals against Thursday. Allen is 12-14-0-0 this season, with a 3.87 goals against average and .896 save percentage.

Saturday’s game in Yorkton will be available on 1050 CJNB. The Ultra Print Pregame Show will begin at 6:30 p.m., with puck drop at 7 p.m., on the NAPA Auto Parts North Stars Broadcast.

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Martin.Martinson@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @MartyMartyPxP1