While they may not have played each other in over a month, it never takes long for the North Stars and Bruins to renew acquaintances when the two teams come together. (Martin Martinson/battlefordsNOW Staff)

By Martin Martinson

Bears in the Battlefords

Stars return to action for home ice battle with Bruins

Nov 22, 2019 | 2:00 PM

Over a week since their last game action, the Battlefords North Stars will return to the ice Friday night in front of the home crowd, as the team welcomes the Estevan Bruins to town for a showdown at the Civic Centre.

For the Stars, the contest will mark the team’s first game in nine days, as the club will be champing at the bit to respond from just their second loss of the season against Yorkton last Wednesday.

At 22-2 the North Stars enter play on the evening in top spot of the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League (SJHL) standings. Estevan, at 8-11-3, sit third in the Viterra Division and tenth overall.

Despite the 25-point gap between the two teams in the standings, Friday’s game should be a tight matchup between two of the league’s top three teams defensively. The Battlefords have allowed just over two goals-against per game, while Estevan has allowed just over three against per contest.

A large reason for the teams’ stingy play defensively has been thanks to their netminders manning the pipes.

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Estevan’s Keenan Rancier has been far and away the Bruins’ MVP this season. The 19-year-old has backstopped Estevan to each of team’s eight wins this season, while posting a 2.52 goals-against average and .925 save percentage in the process.

While the Stars have had a three-headed monster man the crease, Friday will see eighteen-year-old Phenom, Austin Schwab get the nod opposite Rancier for the homeside. Schwab has won each of his four starts this season, while posting a stunning 1.73 goals-against average and .940 save percentage.

With scoring at a premium, the teams will look to their big guns to lead the way offensively.

In addition to allowing the fewest goals-against in the league this year, the North Stars have also scored the most of any team, averaging 4.5 goals per contest.

Forward Rylan Nivon leads the club in offensive production, having picked up 32 points through his opening 24 games, while Quintin Loon-Stewardson paces all Battlefords’ scorers with 19 goals on the campaign.

Austin Becker’s 27 points put the forward third in team scoring, and Matthew Fletcher’s 26 rank fourth on the squad and first amongst blue liners in the league this season.

Estevan, by contrast, have been more hard-pressed when it comes to generating offence. The team is averaging just under three goals per game.

Captain, Jayden Davis leads the Bruins in scoring with 19 points through 22 games, while rearguard Kade McMillen sits second with 15 points.

Bruins’ forwards, Isaiah Thomas, Griffin Asham-Moroz and Tanner Manz round out the team’s top five scorers with 14 points apiece.

While the offensive scale is undoubtedly tilted in the Stars’ favor heading into the matchup, the Bruins’ power play has been lethal at points this season. The visitors possess a top-five power play entering the evening, clicking at nearly 17 percent.

The Stars sit just back at 15.4 percent, but should only improve in that regard with a return to the lineup from both Elijah Loon-Stewardson and Dylan McCabe.

Each a prominent fixture on both special teams’ units, Loon-Stewardson missed the last three games with an upper body injury, while McCabe missed the last two with an upper body injury.

Rookie standout Liam Antoniuk will also return to the lineup after missing last game with the flu, and should only help boost the Stars’ penalty kill prowess, as the team is already ranked top of the heap at nearly 90 percent effectiveness.

Fans can catch the night’s action on the NAPA Auto Parts North Stars Hockey Broadcast on 1050 CJNB. The Ultra Print Pregame Show will begin at 7:15 p.m. with puck drop to follow at 7:30 p.m.

North Stars lineup

Forwards:

R. Nivon, Q. Loon-Stewardson, E. Loon-Stewardson

A. Becker, B. Gammer, D. Esau

M. Urbanski, D. Prymak, S. Kesslering

L. Spence, R. McNinch, H. Partsch

Defencemen:

S. Summers, M. Fletcher

N. Form, D. McCabe

L. Antoniuk, W. Somers

Goaltenders:

A. Schwab

P. Rey

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Martin.Martinson@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: MartyMartyPxP1