The Battlefords North Stars have had a season for the books this year, going 22-1 through their opening 23 games to claim top spot in the CJHL rankings. (Martin Martinson/battlefordsNOW Staff)

By Martin Martinson

Best in Canada

North Stars named top team in country, take number one spot in weekly CJHL rankings

Nov 12, 2019 | 11:15 AM

The Battlefords North Stars are the top-ranked team in the country, according to the new Canadian Junior Hockey league (CJHL) rankings, out this week.

The Stars are currently riding a 15-game winning streak, and have won an astonishing 22 of their 23 games played this season. Their play has seen the team become a mainstay amongst the CJHL’s elite, an institution featuring 10 different junior leagues from across the nation.

With their first-place finish, the Stars edge out the Brooks Bandits of the Alberta Junior Hockey League (AJHL) for top spot in the country. Brooks had held the throne for four consecutive weeks prior.

The shift comes after the Bandits lost their first game of the season over the weekend, with the team also featuring in at 22-1 at the time of the rankings’ release.

For the North Stars, their assent up the national ranks has been swift this season, as the team has stormed out of the gate.

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The Battlefords’ lone blemish on their record came Oct. 1 against the Yorkton Terriers, a defeat that snapped a perfect 7-0 start to the year. Following the slight speed bump, however, the team has continued rolling since without a hitch, having taken home 15 straight victories and counting.

Perhaps most impressive about the Stars’ run this season, has been the team’s utter dominance within the Saskatchewan League at both ends of the ice. The North Stars rank first in both goals and goals-against, in gross totals and on a per-game basis.

Offensively, the North Stars have racked up 103 goals, 14 more than second place. To add further perspective, just two teams other than the Battlefords have cracked the 80-goal barrier on the year.

On the defensive side of things, the Stars’ have also allowed just 47 goals-against through their 23 games. No other team has allowed fewer than 61.

As a result, the Stars boast an eye-popping plus-56 goal differential. The next best is Flin Flon at plus-20.

The Battlefords are led offensively by forwards Rylan Nivon (30 points), Quintin Loon-Stewardson (29 points), Austin Becker (27 points) and Matthias Urbanski (23 points). Together, along with rearguard Matthew Fletcher (26 points), five Stars are featured in the top 15 league scorers.

On the back end, Fletcher is joined by fellow defencemen Noah Form and Seth Summers (17 points each) as three of the top six blue line producers in the league this year.

Between the pipes, perhaps the team’s biggest wildcard factor heading into the season has proven to become one of their greatest strengths.

The Stars entered the campaign with a fairly inexperienced trio in goal. Adam Dmyterko had just five games prior experience with the team from last season, while rookies Parker Rey and Austin Schwab had yet to cut their teeth at the Junior A level.

All three have been dynamite for the club this year.

Dmyterko, has played the lion’s share of the team’s games, posting a 12-0 record through 13 games, to go along with a 2.28 goals-against average, .930 save percentage and two shutouts.

Rey is 6-1 on the year, with a 1.61 goals-against average and .942 save percentage. The 19-year-old Michigan product has also posted two shutouts already this season.

Schwab, meanwhile, is a perfect 4-0, with a 1.73 goals-against average and .940 save percentage in his own right.

With their all-around dominance throughout the first 20-plus games of the schedule, about the only area of the game the Stars have not run away from the pack statistically has been on special teams.

While clicking along at an elite level on the penalty kill at nearly 90 per cent, the North Stars rank a modest 10^th of the 12 Saskatchewan League teams on the power play at just over 15 per cent effectiveness. However, with four power play goals over their last three games, the Stars look to be on an upward trajectory on the man advantage as well.

While the stats help highlight the story, the North Stars’ journey this season cannot be described completely with numbers.

For Stars’ rookie blue liner, Liam Antoniuk, the experience this season has been a unique one he will likely remember for some time. He said the comradery amongst the group as a whole is what truly sets the team apart.

“I haven’t been part of anything like this before, but I think it all started back in training camp,” Antoniuk said. “[Head Coach, Brayden Klimosko] had us all bonding really well and doing team activities together so that really brought us together really quickly and really close. I think ultimately everyone just wants to play for each other and for the same common goal.”

Fellow first-year rearguard, Jordan Gagnon also added the group’s underlying mix of competitive spirit and depth throughout the lineup has been critical to what they have been able to accomplish so far this year.

“Just the winning mentality here [has been key],” he said. “The guys just hate to lose and love to win. It is crazy to be part of a team this strong and this deep; all four lines are going every single night and it is just awesome. It is so much fun [to be a part of].”

The North Stars will look to keep their hot streak rolling Wednesday night at the Civic Centre as the team will welcome the Yorkton Terriers to town.

Wednesday’s game will be broadcast on 1050 CJNB. The Ultra Print Pregame Show will begin at 7:15 p.m. with puck drop at 7:30 p.m. on NAPA North Stars Hockey.

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Martin.Martinson@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: MartyMartyPxP1