The start of the '23-24 SJHL season sits just over 12 weeks away. (Martin Martinson/battlefordsNOW Staff)

By Martin Martinson

North Stars Breakdown

SJHL announces schedule for 2023-24 season

Jun 28, 2023 | 3:00 PM

The Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League (SJHL) announced its schedule for the upcoming 2023-24 season, Wednesday.

The regular season will open Friday, Sept. 22, with the North Stars facing off against the Kindersley Klippers in one of five matchups across the league.

The schedule will be 56 games, with each of the league’s 12 teams to play each other four times in the regular season, with an additional two games (for six total) against each of their three division rivals, and two more against their select opponents at the annual SJHL Showcase which will be held Nov. 13-16 in Warman.

This will mark the 12th straight year the North Stars will open their schedule with a weekend home-and-home against the Klippers. The season opener Sept. 22 will be played in North Battleford, with the following night’s game in Kindersley.

Unlike last season, the North Stars will start the year with a heavy road slate. Following their season opener on home ice, the team will play five straight on the road with stops in Kindersley, Yorkton (x2), Melville, and Nipawin, with seven of their first 10 games overall in opposition barns.

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The Stars’ longest homestand will be six straight games at the ACC in late January, as part of a larger portion of the schedule that will see the team play 15 of 18 games from Nov. 29 to Feb. 6 in front of the home crowd.

The North Stars will get just under three weeks off for the Christmas holidays. Their final game of 2023 will be played Dec. 16 at home against Kindersley, with their return to play in the new year on Jan. 6, 2024 against the Bruins in Estevan.

The first rematch of last year’s SJHL Finals series against Flin Flon will be back-to-back games between the Stars and Bombers in North Battleford, Jan. 26 and 27.

SJHL camps will officially open Aug. 26, with preseason games to begin Sept. 12.

The North Stars’ full regular season schedule can be found here.

The full SJHL schedule can be found here.

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Martin.Martinson@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @MartyMartyPxP1