Holden Doell (#16) and Jake Southgate (#21) connected on the eventual game winner for the Battlefords Monday night, and will be looking to continue their magic in the biggest game of the tournament yet, Tuesday. (Martin Martinson/battlefordsNOW Staff)

By Martin Martinson

Final Round Robin Game

North Stars look to clinch playoff berth versus MJHL champion, Steinbach

May 16, 2023 | 2:12 PM

The Battlefords North Stars wrap up round robin play at the Centennial Cup Tuesday night, against the Manitoba Junior Hockey League (MJHL) champion, Steinbach Pistons.

The North Stars need just a single point to clinch a playoff spot and eliminate Steinbach from playoff contention. The team also have a chance to finish as high as top spot in their group and earn a bye to the semi-finals of the playoff rounds with a regulation win and Collingwood regulation loss in the Blues’ final round robin game Wednesday against Portage.

The Stars are coming off a 3-2 victory over the host Portage Terriers Monday night, in their first evening game of the tournament, to give them a 2-0-1-0 (wins-OT wins-loses-OT loses) record through their opening three games, for second spot in their group.

Steinbach enter their final game of the round robin sitting just back of Portage for the third and final playoff spot in the group (behind Collingwood and the Battlefords). The Pistons are 1-0-1-1 on the tournament, coming off a huge 5-2 win over Kam River Sunday, to bounce back from a 2-1 OT loss to Collingwood in their opener and 4-2 regulation defeat to Portage in their second game.

Steinbach finished the MJHL regular season second overall with a 42-15-0-1 record in 58 games, before running the gantlet in the playoffs with a seven-game series win over Winkler, a six-game series win over Swan Valley, and five-game series win over Virden to claim the MJHL championship in 18 games.

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Steinbach are led offensively by MJHL MVP finalist, Travis Hensrud, who will need to be priority one for the North Stars, heading into Tuesday’s matchup. Hensrud, the right winger on Steinbach’s top line, finished third in MJHL goals (35) and points (72) in 55 games, in addition to being one of the premier two-way forwards in the league.

The Hensrud line with power forwards Davis Fry (6-4, 195 pounds) at centre and Landon Roberts (6-3, 209 pounds) on the left wing, will likely see the bulk of their minutes against the Stars’ big line of Kian Bell, Holden Doell and Jake Southgate when the Pistons can get the matchup.

The other line to watch will be the Piston’s unit of Ty Paisley, former Weyburn Red Wings captain Kirk Mullen, and Dawson Milliken.

Paisley, an only recently-turned 19-year-old, led the Pistons (and entire MJHL) with 11 goals and 29 points in 18 playoff games, while Mullen’s 20 playoff points were third, and the captain Milliken’s 16 points were fifth, on his way to Playoff MVP honours.

The North Stars will be looking to build on their best game of the tournament so far Monday night, that saw goaltender Josh Kotai lead the way with a 35-save performance to earn CJHL Performer of the Day honours.

Captain Jake Southgate (82 points in 54 games of the SJHL regular season) also got on the board against Portage with his first goal of the tournament after picking up a pair of assists in the opener, while Brad Blake tallied his first on a powerplay marker, and Steven Kesslering (the Stars’ Playoff MVP) cash in for his third in three games, now tied for the tournament lead.

Kotai enters play Tuesday with a 2.0 goals against average and .937 save percentage in the Stars’ crease.

Pistons’ goalie Dominik Wasik will get the start opposite Kotai, coming off a 26/28 save performance in his team’s 5-2 win over Kam River Sunday, with a 2.61 goals against average and .910 save percentage through three games of the tournament.

Tuesday’s game will be available on 1050 CJNB, with the Ultra Print Pregame Show at 6 p.m. and puck drop to follow at 6:30 p.m. Sask time on the NAPA Auto Parts North Stars Hockey Broadcast.

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Martin.Martinson@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @MartyMartyPxP1