North Stars fans cheer on the team as the bus leaves the city. (Martin Martinson/battlefordsNOW Staff)

By Martin Martinson

Cheering on the Stars

Community comes out in droves for North Stars Send-Off

Apr 20, 2023 | 4:39 PM

The Battlefords North Stars set out to Flin Flon Thursday morning, ahead of Games 3 and 4 of their SJHL Finals series with the Flin Flon Bombers this weekend.

In a show of support, a number of fans came out to line the streets and cheer on the team, wishing them well on their way out of town, with a special “North Stars Send-Off”.

Several schools came outside to wave and give cheer, with many people also pulled over at the side of the road honking, waving from windows, or standing on sidewalks with signs in hand, as the Stars’ bus drove through the city upon departure.

The exit route saw the team bus, escorted by a number of emergency service vehicles, leave the Access Communications Centre at 9 a.m., heading down 19^th Ave., then turing at 101^st, before making their final exit onto Railway Ave E onto Highway 40.

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North Stars captain, and Battlefords local, Jake Southgate said it was special for the players on the bus to see the community support come out in full-force.

“It was absolutely electric, there were lots of people, honestly a lot more than I even expected and it’s great to see the community support,” Southgate said. “We’re going to try to get it done [and win the championship] for these great fans.”

When asked about the overall hype surrounding the team on their playoff run, that included a pair of capacity-crowd sellouts of 2,150 through the opening two games of the series, Southgate said it brings back memories to his own early years growing up cheering the team on in playoff runs of the past.

“It’s nothing like I’ve ever experienced [as a player], and it’s obviously really cool,” Southgate said. “I remember being in the stands when they had the sellouts when they went to the Finals in years past, so it’s really cool to be on the ice now on this side of things. It’s awesome and we’re going to try to win it all for these guys.”

The North Stars enter the weekend with a 2-0 lead in their best-of-seven Finals series with the Bombers, sitting just two wins away from an SJHL Championship. The Stars will play Games 3 and 4 of the series Friday and Saturday night, with both available on 1050 CJNB.

Due to the time change in Flin Flon, both games will begin an hour earlier than usual. The Ultra Print Pregame Show will begin both nights at 6 p.m. with puck drop to follow at 6:30 p.m. on the NAPA Auto Parts North Stars Hockey Broadcast.

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Martin.Martinson@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @MartyMartyPxP1