The North Stars will look to build on their season for the ages next week at the Centennial Cup. (Martin Martinson/battlefordsNOW Staff)

By Martin Martinson

Opponents set

North Stars schedule for Centennial Cup

May 9, 2023 | 10:00 AM

With the start of the Centennial Cup just around the corner, May 11-21, the picture has cleared on the teams the Battlefords North Stars will be competing against at this year’s national tournament in Portage, Man.

Guaranteed at least four round-robin games, below is the North Stars schedule, complete with the opponents the team will face and their records through their respective league seasons.

Ranked #1 overall in the country for a CJHL-high 15 weeks over the course of the season, the North Stars who led the SJHL with a 48-5-2-1 record before adding another 12 wins in 13 games in the playoffs to be crowned league champions, will be a measuring stick team for many competing on this year’s national stage.

A look at the North Stars’ Centennial Cup schedule in calendar form. (Martin Martinson/battlefordsNOW Staff)

Game 1: Thurs., May 11

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The North Stars will open their schedule with the first game of the tournament Thursday morning, to kick things off against the winners of the Superior International Junior Hockey League (SIJHL), the Kam River Fighting Walleye.

Kam River finished the regular season 40-11-1-1 to earn the top seed overall and a bye in the quarterfinals of the SIJHL playoffs. Following a five-game series win over Wisconsin to punch their ticket to the finals, the team then came back from down 2-0 in their championship series with the Thunder Bay North Stars, to win the SIJHL Championship in a seventh and deciding contest.

Thursday morning’s round-robin opener will begin with the Ultra Print Pregame Show at 10 a.m., with puck drop to follow at 10:30 a.m. Sask. time on the NAPA Auto Parts North Stars Hockey Broadcast on 1050 CJNB.

Game 2: Sat., May 13

Following a day off Friday, the North Stars will return to action to open the day Saturday morning, this time against the Ontario Junior Hockey League (OJHL) champion, Collingwood Blues.

The Blues finished the regular season second overall in the OJHL standings with a 44-9-0-1 record, before – like the North Stars – going on to lose just a single game on their playoff run to the league title, topping the Burlington Cougars 4-1 in their best-of-seven championship series.

Saturday’s game will begin with the Ultra Print Pregame Show at 10 a.m., with puck drop to follow at 10:30 a.m. Sask. time on the NAPA Auto Parts North Stars Hockey Broadcast on 1050 CJNB.

Game 3: Mon., May 15

The Stars’ first evening game of the tournament will be played in the prime-time slot Monday, against the tournament host, Portage Terriers.

The Terriers made it to Game 7 of the Manitoba Junior Hockey League (MJHL) semi-finals series with the Virden Oil Capitals, after finishing the regular season first overall, with a 43-11-1-3 record.

Monday’s game will begin with the Ultra Print Pregame Show at 6 p.m., with puck drop to follow at 6:30 p.m. Sask. time on the NAPA Auto Parts North Stars Hockey Broadcast.

Game 4: Tues., May 16

The final game of the round-robin will see the North Stars play the winners of the Manitoba Junior Hockey League, the Steinbach Pistons.

Steinbach finished the regular season second overall in the MJHL standings with a 42-15-0-1 record, before posting a 12-6 record on their playoff run to the championship.

Monday’s game will again begin with the Ultra Print Pregame Show at 6 p.m., with puck drop to follow at 6:30 p.m. Sask. time on the NAPA Auto Parts North Stars Hockey Broadcast.

North Stars Send-off to Portage

Fans of the North Star greeted the team on Monday morning as they ventured off to Portage for the national championship.

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Martin.Martinson@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @MartyMartyPxP1