North Stars forward, Steven Kesslering enters play Friday third in the SJHL with 35 goals on the season, having scored 11 in his last 10 games. (Martin Martinson/battlefordsNOW Staff)

By Martin Martinson

Home-and-home

Stars open final weekend of regular season in Kindersley

Mar 10, 2023 | 2:08 PM

The Battlefords North Stars kick off their final weekend of the regular season Friday night in Kindersley, with their first of what will be a home-and-home with the rival Klippers to close out the schedule.

The North Stars (46-5-2-1) enter play having already locked up first overall in the league standings with 95 points. With one more win, the team will tie their franchise record for points in a season (97), set back in the 2016-17 season.

The Klippers (13-32-4-5) enter the weekend 11^th overall in the standings, looking to finish the season strong in their final home game of the year. Kindersley will be desperate to snap a four-game skid that has seen the team still pick up points in two of the four games.

The North Stars are led into play by four of the league’s top six scorers, as Kian Bell (96 points), Holden Doell (93 points) and Jake Southgate (79 points), have been 1-2-3 in league scoring since early November, followed by Steven Kesslering who’s currently sixth with 62 points in 52 games.

North Stars captain Jake Southgate enters play red-hot with nine goals in his last 10 games, and on the brink of 80 points on the season heading into the weekend. (Martin Martinson/battlefordsNOW Staff)

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Bell, who was named both SJHL MVP and Player of the Year for his outstanding play this season, has continued to ramp up his play to another level yet of late, with 12 goals and 24 points over his last 10 games. Bell sits just four points back of becoming just the third North Stars’ player to hit 100 points in a season in the last 25 years.

Doell, who is just seven points from the century mark, has four goals and 19 points in his last 10, while Southgate has nine goals and 17 points in his last 10; and Kesslering, 11 goals and 18 points in his last 10.

Tynan Ewart, who was named SJHL Defenceman of the Year for his two-way excellence, leads all blue liners with 54 points in 53 games, including at least a single point in each of his last seven games (nine total on current streak).

Kindersley are led offensively by a dynamic duo of their own, in Most Sportsmanlike Award winner Tylin Hilbig and his centre Logan Linklater.

Hilbig paces the Klippers in both goals (18, tied with Matthew Mazzocchi) and points (38), having tallied four goals and 11 points over his last 10. Linklater, who sits second in team scoring with 37 points has also been red-hot to end the season, with seven goals and 13 points over his last 10 heading into Friday.

Between the pipes, the North Stars will turn to goalie Justen Maric to make his second straight start. Maric is coming off a 31/33 save performance versus Nipawin, with a 15-1 record this season, a 2.48 goals against average, and .933 save percentage.

Kindersley are likely to turn to starter Cody Jaman. In 29 games this season, Jaman is 5-17-4-2 with a 3.81 goals against average, and .902 save percentage.

Friday’s game 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. on the NAPA Auto Parts North Stars Hockey Broadcast.

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Martin.Martinson@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @MartyMartyPxP1