North Stars' first-year standout, Brayden Sinclair pictured here on the faceoff versus Bruins' captain, Keagon Little. (Martin Martinson/battlefordsNOW Staff)

By Martin Martinson

Hockey Night in N.B.

North Stars host Bruins in search of fourth straight

Dec 1, 2023 | 1:15 PM

The Battlefords North Stars welcome the Estevan Bruins to town Friday, for the second game of their three-game home stand this week at the Access Communications Centre.

The North Stars enter play first in the Nutrien Division and second overall in the league standings with a 19-7-0-1 record through 27 games. Coming off an 8-2 win over Notre Dame Wednesday, the North Stars will be looking for their fourth straight, having won 13 of their last 14 overall.

Estevan is 10-10-0-2 through 22 games and sit third in the Viterra Division and ninth overall. the Bruins will be desperate to get back on the winning track, sitting just outside the final playoff spot with only a single win over their last five.

The North Stars are led into play by a pair of the recently announced SJHL Players of the Month for November, in Kian Bell and Alex Izyk.

Bell scored 27 points (11 goals, 16 assists) in 11 games through the month and is coming off another three-point night Wednesday against Notre Dame with a goal and two assists. Having played just 14 games this season, Bell enters the weekend second in the league scoring race with 37 points (16 goals, 21 assists).

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Izyk, who paced all defencemen in scoring over the last month with 16 points (five goals, 11 assists) in 12 games, also enters play red-hot having scored his first career SJHL hat trick Wednesday night. Through 23 games, Izyk has 22 points (seven goals, 15 assists) to sit top-five at the position in scoring.

Estevan counters with the two-headed punch of Keagon Little and Ilia Chmelevski down the middle of the ice. Little leads the Bruins with 26 points (four goals, 22 assists) through 22 games, having heated up of late with 14 points (two goals, 12 assists) over his last six. Chmelevski has 25 points (10 goals, 15 assists) in 21 games, with 15 (six goals, nine assists) in his last 10 games.

The two sides match up well on special teams, as the Bruins sit just under 23 percent on the power play (third) and just over 76 percent on the penalty kill (ninth). The North Stars PP is just under 22 percent (seventh), while their PK is just under 82 percent (fourth).

The North Stars will start Joey Hawco between the pipes. Coming off a 25-save performance against Nipawin last Saturday, Hawco is 7-4-0-0 this season with a 3.23 goals against average and .893 save percentage.

The Bruins could go with Cam Hrdlicka or Jackson Miller. Hrdlicka is coming off a tough night against Weyburn that saw the Bruins’ starter allow eight goals, and is now 8-6-0-1 this season with a 3.79 goals against average and .893 save percentage. Miller is 2-4-0-1 with a 3.62 goals against and .888 save percentage.

Friday’s NAPA Auto Parts North Stars Broadcast 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.

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Martin.Martinson@pattisonmedia.com

On X: @MartyMartyPxP1