North Stars forwards Steven Kesslering, Kian Bell, Holden Doell and Jake Southgate combined for 152 goals, 201 assists and 353 points over the course of the regular season. (Martin Martinson/battlefordsNOW Staff)

By Martin Martinson

Finish top four in points

Stars’ Fab Four make history atop league scoring leaders

Mar 15, 2023 | 12:01 PM

It’s been a season to remember in many respects for the Battlefords North Stars, but among their most eye-grabbing statistics may just be the quartet of names atop the league scoring leaders.

With the conclusion of the final SJHL regular season games Tuesday, the North Stars officially became the first team in league history to feature each of the top-four point scorers at season’s end.

Kian Bell finished the season with a league-best 102 points (54 goals, 48 assists), followed closely by Holden Doell’s 100 (33 goals, 67 assists), then Jake Southgate’s 82 (25 goals, 57 assists), and Steven Kesslering’s 69 (40 goals, 29 assists).

The Stars’ fearsome four combined for 353 points, which is 133 more than any other team’s top four scorers. Their 152 goals also outscored two entire teams. (Martin Martinson/battlefordsNOW Staff)

The closest a team had gotten to occupying the top four in SJHL scoring prior, was the ‘78-79 Prince Albert Raiders foursome of Glen White (first), Eric Ponath (third), Brad Tippett (fourth), and Dave Moore (fifth), occupying four of the top five spots.

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In fact, only two teams in league history had ever featured the top three in league scoring, prior to this year.

The La Ronge Ice Wolves trio of Travis Eggum, Marc-André Carré, and Doug Lindensmith were the last to accomplish the feat finishing 1-2-3 in ‘10-11, just over a decade after the Melfort Mustangs trio of Kevin Doell, Scott Markowsky and Martin Paquet set the bar as the first three teammates to do so during the ’98-99 season.

The Stars’ duo of Bell and Doell are also the first two teammates to each finish with 100 points apiece since Eggum and Carré that same 2011 season with La Ronge.

All four of the Stars’ standouts are coming off a milestone last two weeks.

February 24^th Kian Bell became the first North Stars’ player in 31 years to hit the 50-goal milestone, while Jake Southgate also notched his first career hat trick that same night, and Kesslering reached the 30-goal plateau.

This past weekend, the milestones continued and ratcheted up a level.

Both Doell and Kesslering scored hat tricks in the final game of the regular season, as each of Doell and Bell hit the 100-point mark in the process, and Kesslering became just the fourth North Star since 2000 to hit 40 goals in a season, joining Blake Tatchell (42 goals in ‘11-12), Igor Leonenko (47 in ’15-16) and Bell (54 this season).

Speaking with battlefordsNOW postgame, it was clear the appreciation and mutual respect the Stars’ big four have for each other as well.

“I never dreamt of getting 100 points in a season in any league, so to do it, and especially with Doeller and Kess hitting milestones too, it was pretty special to do it with both of those guys,” Bell said of crossing the 100-point threshold after Saturday’s season finale.

“I was more excited for his (Doell’s) than I was for mine,” Bell added with a laugh when asked about his jubilant on-ice reaction after setting up Doell for his 100^th point. “He had a chance in the second and was kind of kicking himself and I said don’t worry we’ll get it in the next period, so I was just so happy for him.”

Kesslering couldn’t help but smile when asked about the entire bench’s reaction to his 40^th, with teammates erupting to swarm him as he came back off the ice.

“[My teammates] wanted me out on the ice to try to get to 40 and [the coaches] were maybe giving me a little extra ice time so I could hit that milestone, so once it went in the boys were happy for me, I was happy and it was good,” Kesslering said.

Doell added that with Southgate also hitting the 80-point plateau the night prior, it made for a special weekend all around.

“A few guys hit milestones with Bellsy getting 100, Kess hitting 40 [goals], and Jake [Southgate] 80 points this weekend, so I think it was just a good team effort and just awesome to see.

I’m looking forward to the playoffs, and with the group of guys we have, it should be great.”

The North Stars will kick off their playoff schedule on home ice this weekend for back-to-backs with the Weyburn Red Wings Friday and Saturday night at the ACC. Both games 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.

The North Stars’ full first-round schedule can be found here.

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Martin.Martinson@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @MartyMartyPxP1