Stars' forward Emmett Wurst tangles on a faceoff with the Broncos' Ben Kotylak. (Martin Martinson/battlefordsNOW Staff)

By Martin Martinson

On home ice

North Stars kick off final weekend series with rival Broncos

Mar 3, 2023 | 3:47 PM

The Battlefords North Stars play host to the rival Humboldt Broncos Friday in North Battleford, for opening night of the teams’ final weekend home-and-home of the season series.

The North Stars (44-4-2-1) are the top team in the SJHL standings, entering play having already locked up first place overall and are in search of their fifth straight win. Friday will be the Stars’ first game since last Saturday’s 6-2 win over Notre Dame.

The Broncos (36-13-1-0) are third overall in the league standings, just a single point back of second-place Flin Flon, while holding two games in hand.

Humboldt are the lone team with a winning record against the Stars this season, having won three of the first four games of the season series, including a back-to-back weekend sweep when the teams last met in late January.

The Broncos are coming off a 3-2 overtime win over Flin Flon on home ice, and enter play in search of their third straight.

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Stars’ first-year defenceman Jordan Gibbs and Broncos’ veteran forward Spencer Bell both provide speed, skill and spark for their respective sides. (Martin Martinson/battlefordsNOW Staff)

Both teams enter play with multiple players having been named finalists for SJHL year-end awards earlier in the day, Friday.

The North Stars saw four players and their coach combine for seven nominations, including Holden Doell and Kian Bell who have each been named finalists for both League MVP and Player of the Year.

The pair sit 1-2 in league scoring heading into play, with 91 (Bell) and 90 (Doell) points on the season. Bell’s 51 goals in 46 games lead all players, as do Doell’s 62 assists, both entering play on multi-point streaks.

Doell has two goals and 11 points over his last three games, while Bell has eight goals and 15 points over his last four, on his way to earning MVP of the Week and Month as well, this week.

Josh Kotai, who will get the start for the Battlefords Friday night in goal, was named a nominee for Top Goaltender, having posted a 30-3-2-1 this season with a league-best 2.39 goals against average and .935 save percentage.

Tynan Ewart, who paces all SJHL defencemen with 51 points in 50 games, was named a finalist for Top Defenceman. In addition to the year-end hardware nomination, Ewart enters play having also been named both Defenceman of the Week and Month, with 11 points over his last eight games through February.

Humboldt’s Daylan Weigel is also amongst the finalists for Top Defenceman honours, while Broncos’ first-year standout Carsten Kayter was selected as a nominee for Rookie of the Year. Weigel is sixth in defenceman scoring with 38 points in 49 games, while Kayter has 29 points in 48 games as a 16-year-old.

The Broncos are led up front through their strong middle of the ice. Veteran pivots, Lucas Ceccarelli (51 points in 50 games) and Ethan Zielke (38 points in 39 games) provide a two-headed monster at center.

Ceccarelli has at least one point in 11 of his last 12 games (five goals, 17 points over the span), while Zielke enters play with goals in three straight and five points total over his current streak.

Countering Kotai, in goal for the Broncos will be Jared Picklyk.

Picklyk is the Defending SJHL Goalie of the Month, winning all five of his games and posting a 2.36 goals against average and .929 save percentage through February. In nine games total this season, Picklyk is 8-1 with a 3.04 GAA and .908 save percentage.

Friday’s game at the ACC in North Battleford will be available on 1050 CJNB. The Ultra Print Pregame Show will begin at 7 p.m., with puck drop at 7:30 p.m. on the NAPA Auto Parts North Stars Hockey Broadcast.

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Martin.Martinson@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @MartyMartyPxP1