North Stars' goaltender Justen Maric will make his second straight start for the team Saturday, following a lights out 35-save performance Friday. (Martin Martinson/battlefordsNOW Staff)

By Martin Martinson

Night two of back-to-back

North Stars aim for quick bounce back in rematch with Broncos

Oct 21, 2023 | 1:00 PM

Coming off a down-to-the-wire finish just a night ago in North Battleford, that saw the team fall 2-1 in a shootout loss to the Humboldt Broncos, the Battlefords North Stars return to play Saturday night for the second game of their home-and-home with their divisional foe, as the scene shifts to Humboldt.

The North Stars (5-5-0-1) enter play second in the Nutrien Division and sixth overall in the league standings. The team will be looking to snap an 0-1-0-1 skid to close out the weekend.

The Broncos (8-0-1-0) sit atop the Nutrien Division and third overall, looking to keep rolling coming off their shootout win the previous night.

Despite the loss Friday, head coach of the North Stars Brayden Klimosko said there was lots to like about the team’s performance, going toe-to-toe with one of the top teams this season.

“Those are the games you like being a part of, good highly-competitive games with good speed and intensity, and basically you lose a skills competition in the end, so overall we were pretty happy about it all,” the coach said.

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“We just need to continue to bring the same effort as we have been – we’re hoping for five [strong games] in a row now – and I think if you bring this intensity and emotion every night everything else will eventually fall into place and results are going to come sooner rather than later.”

Among the prominent player matchups heading into the weekend were those of the teams’ dynamic first-year defensemen Connor Thue of the Broncos and Carson Olsen of the North Stars, and elite starting goaltenders, Justen Maric (North Stars) and Benjamin Motew (Broncos).

Thue – the defending SJHL MVP of the Week and Defenceman of the Week – was held off the scoresheet for just the second time this season Friday, though he remained dangerous throughout the night for Humboldt, highlighted by a shot off the crossbar late in a tie game. Olsen scored the lone Battlefords’ goal on the night, while also matching up alongside Stars’ captain Tanner Gold, against the Broncos’ Cage Newans line throughout the game.

Maric and Motew were unquestionably the top players for either side Friday night, stopping 35/36 (Maric) and 28/29 (Motew) shots respectively, to allow just a single goal apiece and keep the game a 1-1 contest to be determined via the shootout.

It’s likely the goaltending matchup will remain the same heading into night two of the weekend series.

Maric will make his second straight start for the North Stars Saturday, entering play with a 2-1-0-1 record through his first four games along with a league-best 0.99 goals against average and .970 save percentage. Motew is expected to get the start as well, having played seven of his team’s first nine games with a 6-0-1-0 record along with a 1.68 goals against average and .933 save percentage.

Due to the Riders’ game on 1050 CJNB, the NAPA Auto Parts North Stars Broadcast will be available on 93.3 Beach Radio, with the Ultra Print Pregame Show at 6:30 p.m. and puck drop to follow at 7 p.m.

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Martin.Martinson@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @MartyMartyPxP1