Pictured left to right: North Stars, Timon Prexler, Liam Antoniuk and Walter Somers look to feature in as key cogs on the Stars’ back end in their second season with the team, this fall. (Martin Martinson/battlefordsNOW Staff)

By Martin Martinson

Young Defensive Standouts

North Stars boast bright future on back end

Jul 14, 2020 | 8:00 AM

The Battlefords North Stars allowed fewer goals-against last season than any other team in the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League (SJHL); and while the team’s blue line is likely to look a bit different come the fall, the Stars should remain amongst the league’s best on the back end.

Gone will be graduating 20-year-olds, Matthew Fletcher, Seth Summers and Dylan McCabe, but there is still plenty to be excited about on the Battlefords’ blue line.

Among the reasons for optimism is the growth of young defenders, Liam Antoniuk, Timon Prexler and Walter Somers, all three of whom made their debut with the Stars last season.

Antoniuk, who is back in his hometown of Sherwood Park, AB., for the summer, told battlefordsNOW, having the opportunity to watch and learn from the aforementioned veterans on the team was an especially rewarding experience last season.

He said seeing guys like Fletcher and Summers up close each day allowed him to get a good look at their games, and learn both through asking questions, and just seeing how they operate in practice and in games.

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“I liked Summers’ offence, but Fletcher’s defence was kind of what I was aiming for, a mix of both,” Antoniuk said. “For me, I’m a two-way defenceman, so I was able to learn from them and ask for some tips. They were always super helpful, they were very vocal. They’d point out a few things here and there [as needed].”

Antoniuk said in addition to their commanding presence on the ice, their leadership off it also left a noticeable impression.

“We were pretty fortunate to have the leadership we did, as we had some pretty standout 20-year-olds and 19-year-olds,” he said. “The biggest thing was how close we got too. Brayden [Klimosko] is an unbelievable coach and he allowed us to bond and get to know each other so there wasn’t any ‘clicks’ or anything on the team. We were just a group of brothers and we had that culture set in from day one.”

Both Antoniuk and Somers said they are looking forward to the opportunity ahead this season, to potentially fit into a top-four role on the North Stars and embrace more of a leadership role, now with a season under their belt.

Somers, who was the youngest blue liner on the team last year, played his first season with the club as a 17-year-old.

He said while it was definitely eye-opening at first, making the jump as an under-ager was a great learning experience he is especially grateful for, looking back on the season.

“It’s a big jump from Midget AAA [to the SJHL] as you’re playing against bigger guys,” he said. “I know I had a lot of support from the veterans and from the coaches, and it’s definitely something that gave me confidence throughout the year and I thought it was a great season with the guys. It was something I really enjoyed.”

Somers said getting a first-hand account of what it takes to play at the ‘Junior A’ level last season has allowed him to focus on getting bigger and stronger, himself this summer; a goal of his heading into the offseason.

“Usually in past summers I’ll work out, hit the gym and hit the ice as well, but this summer I have really dialed it in,” he said. “Since I’ve been back [home training] I’ve gained 12 pounds, I’ve been hitting the gym pretty hard, eating five meals a day, and getting on the ice twice a week to work on skills. I’m just trying to become a better and more confident player this upcoming season.”

While there remains some level of uncertainty surrounding the upcoming hockey season due to the ongoing pandemic, one thing is for sure: the North Stars’ blue line looks to be a force in the SJHL once again this fall, and for years to come.

The tentative date for the North Stars home-opener is Sept. 25 at the Civic Centre.

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Martin.Martinson@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: MartyMartyPxP1