Jackson Allan of the North Stars gets set to tangle with Alexander Hollands of the Hounds on a face-off. (Martin Martinson/battlefordsNOW Staff)

By Martin Martinson

Hounds in Town

North Stars go for sixth straight in return to home ice

Jan 13, 2024 | 3:00 PM

For the first time since the calendar change to 2024, the Battlefords North Stars will return to action on home ice at the Access Communications Centre, as the team play host to the Notre Dame Hounds, Saturday night.

The North Stars lead the Nutrien Division, and sit third overall in the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League standings, with a 24-7-2-1 record through 34 games this season. With 51 points, the Stars are in the thick of a tight race to determine spots two-through-four in the league standings, sitting just two points back of second-place Melfort (53 points), and two up on fourth-place Humboldt (49 points).

The North Stars enter play having won five straight, with at least a single point in each of their last 10, dating back to late-2023.

Notre Dame are fourth in the Nutrien Division, and 12^th overall in the league standings, with an 8-26-2-0 record through 36 games. With 18 points on the season, the team will be hungry to snap their current five-game skid (0-4-1), with just a single win in their last 10.

Saturday’s game will be the North Stars’ first, and the Hounds’ second, since the Canadian Junior Hockey League (CJHL) Trade Deadline earlier this week. Both of the Battlefords’ two new acquisitions are set to make their debut donning the North Stars’ crest.

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Nineteen-year-old forward Elijah Anderson, who was acquired from the Weyburn Red Wings, will line up on the left wing of the second line alongside Brayden Sinclair and Hunter Burgeson. Red Pheasant/Battlefords product Treycen Wuttunee will suit up on the right-wing side with Kobie Anderson and Colton Getzlaff on the fourth unit.

Anderson had 21 points (seven goals, 14 assists) in 24 games this season with Weyburn prior to the acquisition. Wuttunee had two assists in 21 games with the Edmonton Oil Kings of the Western Hockey League prior to being loaned to the Battlefords for the remainder of the year.

Notre Dame also received a spark up front at the deadline, with the acquisition of forward Van Eger, who was re-assigned to the team from the Swift Current Broncos of the WHL. Scoreless in his debut with the Hounds Friday, Eger registered six points (three goals, three assists) in 31 games with Swift Current this year.

In goal, the North Stars will give the nod to Logan Cunningham, to make his fifth start in the last six games since joining the team just prior to the holidays. Cunningham is 4-0-0-0 with a sparkling 2.00 goals against average and .925 save percentage.

The Hounds could tap Johann Tremblay-Kau, who has started two of the first three games of the season series, or recently-acquired 19-year-old Spencer Borsos, from Calgary of the Alberta Junior Hockey League.

In 26 games this season, Tremblay-Kau has posted a 4.42 goals against average and .884 save percentage. Through his first two games as a Hound, Borsos has posted a 2.51 goals against average and .870 save percentage.

Saturday’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 Twitter: @MartyMartyPxP1