North Stars welcome Broncos to home barn

The North Stars’ top line of MacGregor Sinclair, Matthias Urbanski and Ryan Gil just continues to hum, with each of Sinclair and Urbanski sitting within the top eight in league scoring, and quickly ascending further up the scoring charts.

Sinclair is coming off another multi-point effort last night, that saw the Irma, Alta., native score a shorthanded goal and add an assist on captain Cody Spagrud’s tally in the third.

Matthias Urbanski also picked up a helper, giving the B.C. boy 12 assists on the season.

The second unit for the Stars, comprised of alternate captains, Owen Lamb and Braydon Buziak, along with the ever-versatile Elijah Loon-Stewardson, has been a well-documented two-way force.

After potting his second goal in his last three games last night, Owen Lamb now has seven markers through his first 15 games of the season and sits just two back of his career-high of nine, reached in 50 games two seasons ago.

Buziak meanwhile, is coming off a scrap in his last game that saw his team rally with a couple of goals after the altercation, and will once again be hoping to help ignite his team’s offence by any means necessary.

The Stars’ third line of Brett Gammer, between Austin Becker and Regan Doig, has continued to impress. Despite not breaking through on the score sheet last night, the line was once again a threat, generating scoring chances through good cycle play and pressure down low, then turning that pressuring into offensive opportunity through nifty passing and a mentality of funnelling pucks on goal.

The fourth line sees Tanner Robin return to the fold and get a chance at centre ice, with Dylan Esau and Quintin Loon-Stewardson on his wings. The younger Loon-Stewardson, who found his way back into the lineup for the first time since Oct. 13, may have been the most noticeable Stars’ forward on the ice last night, jumping in the play aggressively, and applying tenacious relentlessness on the forecheck.

Loon-Stewardson clearly caught the eye of the coaching staff with his play as well, even moving up to play some additional time on the Stars’ second unit in place of an ejected Braydon Buziak.

On the blue line, Cody Spagrud is coming off a game that saw the savvy veteran score his fourth goal of the season, in only his 15th game. The captain is now only one goal back of his previous career high, set two seasons ago, in 55 games played.

Spagrud will be joined by Tanner Scott on the Stars’ top defensive pair.

Adam Weiner is expected to return to the lineup tonight and could suit up opposite Matthew Fletcher on the Stars’ second pair, providing the team with another top-quality puck-moving duo.

Austin Shumanski and Ryan Granville will anchor pair number three, promising no easy night for onrushing forwards.

Expected to get the start once again this evening is goaltender Joel Grzybowski, who was pulled after allowing five goals on 12 shots against the Hounds.

Fans of the North Stars can catch the action at the Civic Centre and on 93.3 The Rock, with pregame starting at 7:15 p.m. and puck drop to follow at 7:30 p.m.

North Stars lineup at a glance

Forwards:

M. Urbanski, M. Sinclair, R. Gil

E. Loon-Stewardson, B. Buziak, O. Lamb

A. Becker, B. Gammer, R. Doig

Q. Loon-Stewardson, T. Robin, D. Esau

Defensemen:

T. Scott, C. Spagrud

A. Weiner, M. Fletcher

A. Shumanski, R. Granville

Goaltenders:

J. Grzybowski

A. Dmyterko

Martin.Martinson@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: MartyMartyPxP1

by Martin Martinson

North Stars welcome Broncos to home barn

What's Trending