Stars soar into Nipawin to battle Hawks in Sunday showdown

Coming off a hard fought back-to-back with the Flin Flon Bombers Friday and Saturday, the Battlefords North Stars will cap their weekend road swing Sunday night at Centennial Arena against the Nipawin Hawks.

The North Stars will be looking to build off their momentum that saw the team take home a 4-1 win over the Bombers Sat. to clinch top seed overall in the league standings heading into the postseason.

The victory came despite the Stars being shorthanded two men, due to a rash of injuries since the new year.

While five forwards will remain out Sunday, with Quintin Loon-Stewardson, Rylan Nivon, Jaxon Steele, Steven Kesslering and Carson Reagan all still sidelined, the team will receive a boost from A.P. call-up Riley Girod, leaving them short just a single player.

Girod was drafted by the North Stars, #71 overall in the 2018 Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League (SJHL) Bantam Draft. The 16-year-old will make his league debut Sunday against the Hawks, the team his elder brother Brodie Girod has played for the last two seasons.

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Nipawin should be a desperate team having dropped three of their last four (1-2-1), including, most recently, a 3-0 loss to Humboldt Sat. night.

Because of how tight the standings have been down the stretch drive of the season; their recent struggles have seen the Hawks dip from third to sixth spot overall over the span.

Despite the setback, with 60 points, the Hawks (28-20-4) sit just three points back of La Ronge for fourth overall, but just four points up on Estevan in seventh.

Hawks’ goalie, Ross Hawrlyuk will likely get the start for Nipawin in a pivotal game. Hawrlyuk has posted a 15-5 record this season, with a 2.44 goals-against average and .922 save percentage.

Kristian Lyon will counter, in goal for the Stars. Through seven games this season, Lyon has proven himself amongst the difference makers at the position, having posted a 2.29 goals-against average and .938 save percentage.

Sunday’s game will be an earlier start than usual. The Ultra Print Pregame Show will begin at 5:45 p.m. with puck drop at 6 p.m. on the NAPA Auto Parts North Stars Hockey Broadcast on 1050 CJNB.

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Martin.Martinson@jpbg.ca
On Twitter: MartyMartyPxP1