Stars forward Colby Bear tangles with Kindersley's Adam Paplawski off a faceoff. (Martin Martinson/battlefordsNOW Staff)

By Martin Martinson

Aim for new franchise points record

North Stars host Klippers to wrap regular season on home ice

Mar 11, 2023 | 3:19 PM

The Battlefords North Stars return to play Saturday night at the Access Communications Centre, for night two of their weekend home-and-home with Kindersley, to wrap their regular season schedule.

The North Stars (47-5-2-1) enter play coming off a 10-1 win over the Klippers to open the weekend Friday, and tie their franchise record for most points in a season with 97. With even a single point Saturday night, the team will set a new franchise benchmark.

Kindersley (13-33-4-5) will be looking for a quick bounceback from last night’s loss in their final home game of the year. Desperate to snap a five-game losing skid, the Klippers will be looking to finish their season on a positive note.

Nine different players scored for the Battlefords in their 10-1 win, with three goals coming from their fourth line, and three from defensemen.

Eight different players registered multi-point games, including Steven Kesslering, who was the lone player to score a pair of goals on the night (registering 2G, 1A).

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Kesslering now has 12 goals and 20 points over his last 10 games, to move into second in league goals (37) and fourth in points (65) this season, now trailing only teammates Kian Bell (98 points), Holden Doell (95 points), and Jake Southgate (81 points) in scoring league-wide.

Should the quartet finish 1-2-3-4 in league scoring at the end of the weekend, they will become the first four teammates to occupy the top-four spots in league points in SJHL history.

Stars goalie, Josh Kotai will make his first start of the weekend between the pipes, after Justen Maric opened things, Friday.

This will be Kotai’s first start since being named the SJHL Top Goaltender, one of five awards taken by the team with the announcement of the year-end awards, Thursday.

In 38 games this year, Kotai is 31-4-2-1 with a 2.45 goals against average and .934 save percentage.

Kindersley are likely to counter with their starter Cody Jaman, after Logan Faulk got the nod in the weekend opener.

Jaman is 5-17-4-2 in 30 games this season, with a 3.88 goals against average and .900 save percentage.

Saturday’s game will be available on 1050 CJNB. The Ultra Print Pregame Show will begin at 7 p.m., with 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