A heated divisional rivalry all season, fans can expect more of the same tonight when the Battlefords North Stars head to Humboldt to take on the Broncos with top spot in the division on the line. (Martin Martinson/battlefordsNOW Staff) : Martin Martinson

By Martin Martinson

Division up for grabs

Biggest game of the year pits Stars and Broncos for division lead

Mar 2, 2019 | 2:13 PM

The Battlefords North Stars travel to Humboldt tonight to take on the division-rival Broncos at Elgar Peterson Arena.

Amongst the hottest teams in the league over the last month, the North Stars seem to have ratcheted up their play as of late to a new level, going 8-1-1 over their last 10.

Coming off a commanding 6-3 win over the division-rival Notre Dame Hounds Friday night at the Civic Centre, the Stars will return to action this evening for their second game of the weekend, and the second-last game of the regular season this year.

Heading into play Saturday, the North Stars are 33-13-10 through 56 games. With 76 points in the standings, the Stars sit in the top spot of the Global Ag. Risk Solutions Division for the first time since a brief stay atop the group Jan. 19 to 21.

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Humboldt, meanwhile, lurks just two points back of the North Stars in the division, while having played one more game.

The Broncos hold a 35-18-4 record in 57 games played this season, as the team has also been red-hot as of late, having won seven of their last 10.

Humboldt is coming off a 3-1 regulation win Friday over the Kindersley Klippers that saw the horses keep pace with both Kindersley and the Stars, in the hunt for the division crown.

Offensively, both the North Stars and Broncos each pack a good mix of proven veteran scorers, but perhaps one of the greatest parallels include the two sides’ top-line centermen, with the pair ranking sixth and eighth respectively in league scoring.

Stars’ centre and Irma, Alta. native MacGregor Sinclair, leads the Battlefords this season, with 27 goals and 67 points in just 55 games. At the other end, Michael Clarke, a fellow Alberta boy from Calgary, leads Humboldt with 27 goals as well, and 69 points in 56 games.

Similar in stature and both right-hand shots, Sinclair (6’0, 192 lbs.) and Clarke (5’11, 201 lbs.) actually played together on the top line for one of the two SJHL teams representing their league at the second annual SJHL/MJHL Showcase held in Regina in mid-January.

Each of the two pivots provides their hockey clubs with grit, leadership and defensive acumen, as staples on both the power play and penalty kill units for their team.

Complementing the cornerstone centerman, and entering play on a tear in their own right, are Stars’ forward, Owen Lamb, and the Broncos’ Drew Warkentine.

Lamb appears to have only continued on his torrent pace set through February, as the 21-year-old brought in March like a lion Friday against the Hounds. The Battlefords’ hometown boy picked up another two-goal game, scoring his 26th and 27th of the season for his team in the 6-3 win. Lamb has now notched seven goals over his last seven games.

Warkentine, on the other hand, is also coming off a two-goal performance Friday night in his team’s 3-1 win over Kindersley, as the former P.A. Raider has now amassed 23 goals in 32 games this year since joining the Broncos.

There is little-to-no doubt the defence on both sides will need to be sharp tonight, as Humboldt bench boss, Scott Barney will aim to use last change to his advantage with a healthy dose of Josh Patrician out there against the Stars’ top unit.

Battlefords’ head coach, Brayden Klimosko will likely focus primarily on getting Spagrud out there as much as possible against Clarke’s unit in the pivotal matchup from the Stars’ perspective.

Joel Grzybowski will return between the pipes tonight for the North Stars after getting a rare night off Friday.

Saturday will mark Grzybowski’s league-leading 43rd start of the season. Still just 19-years-old, Grzybowski has played an astonishing 207 more minutes this year than the next closest goalie.

The Hafford, Sask., product enters action Saturday with a 2.69 goals-against average and .910 save percentage on the campaign.

For the Broncos, netminder Rayce Ramsay is likely to get the start for the home side.

The 18-year-old Ramsay has started the last four games for the Broncos, three of which were of imperative importance against Kindersley. In this, his first year in the SJHL, Ramsay has posted 16 wins along with a 2.73 goals-against average and .923 save percentage in 27 games.

Fans can tune into tonight’s game on 1050 CJNB. Ultra Print Pregame Show begins at 7:15 p.m. with puck drop at 7:30 p.m. on the NAPA Auto Parts North Stars hockey broadcast.

North Stars lineup at a glance

Forwards:

B. Buziak, M. Sinclair, O. Lamb

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

A. Becker, B. Gammer, D. Esau

K. Boser, D. Heino, R. Doig

Defensemen:

N. Form, C. Spagrud

S. Summers, M. Fletcher

A. Shumanski, G. Johnson

Goaltenders:

J. Grzybowski

C. Duran

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Martin.Martinson@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: MartyMartyPxP1