North Stars' forward Brayden Sinclair has five points through his first six SJHL games and will centre the team's top line Friday. (Martin Martinson/battlefordsNOW Staff)

By Martin Martinson

Friday Night Showdown

North Stars host La Ronge to open weekend home-and-home

Oct 13, 2023 | 2:31 PM

The Battlefords North Stars return to home ice Friday night, to open another weekend home-and-home series, this time with the La Ronge Ice Wolves.

Just the third home game of the schedule for the North Stars, the team enters play second in the Nutrien Division and ninth overall in the league standings with a 3-4-0 record through their opening seven games.

Coming off a two-game split in their back-to-back with the Nipawin Hawks last weekend, the Stars will be looking to bounce back from a 3-1 loss in their last game, as they aim to find that consistency that has been their calling card in recent years.

“It’s something that we’re working on,” head coach Brayden Klimosko said. “I think it starts in practice and I feel like at the start of the year you’re having days where you might have one good practice then one bad, but that we’re heading in the right direction.

“We’re trying to bring it every day and starting to figure that out a little bit, so hopefully that comes through tonight.”

Russia-Ukraine War

In a first, President Biden gives green light for Ukraine's use of U.S.-supplied long-range missiles in Russia

10h ago

Helping hand

Big red sleigh brings holiday spirit to kick off Battlefords Empty Stocking Fund

Nov 16, 2024

Battlefords North Stars

Big performance from Maric ends Red Wings win streak

Nov 16, 2024

The Ice Wolves enter the weekend fourth in the Sherwood Division and 11^th overall with a 2-5-1 record through their opening eight games. Like the Stars, the team is looking to develop more consistency through the early going this year, as they aim to snap a two-game skid with a pair of losses last weekend, 5-2 and 2-1 to Melville and Yorkton, respectively.

The North Stars will receive a large boost to the lineup Friday, as defencemen Easton Rask and Josh Karman will both return to action, solidifying a stabilizing presence on the blue line, after each missed the last two games due to a mix of illness and injury.

The jolt to the backend comes at a critical time for the team heading into the weekend against a La Ronge foe that boasts some high-end talent, highlighted by forwards Mason Bueckert, Jacob Cossette, and William Forsberg.

Bueckert leads the Ice Wolves and sits fourth in league scoring with 14 points (six goals, eight assists) in eight games, and is coming off his first game held without at least a single point on the board, against Yorkton.

Forsberg, his centreman on the top line, is tied for second in rookie scoring with eight points (two goals, six assists) in eight games, while Cossette is the SJHL’s defending Saskatchewan Player of the Week with six points (two goals, four assists) in his last four games, and nine (four goals, five assists) in eight games this year.

“They’ve got a pretty high-end first line, and I’m hoping that we can keep them in check and make sure we’re well aware when they’re on the ice as they’re as good as any when they’re out there,” Klimosko said.

“I think [as teams] our playing styles are a bit different – we’re a bit better defensively, they’re a bit better on the high-end skill level – so we’ll see which group brings it out tonight.”

Between the pipes, North Stars’ goaltender Justen Maric will make his third straight start since re-joining the team. Maric is the defending SJHL Goalie of the Week, having posted a 1-1-0 record with a sparkling 1.52 goals against average and .955 save percentage.

La Ronge is likely to go with Topher Chirico, who has played seven of his team’s first eight games. Chirico is 2-5-0 with a 4.94 goals-against average and a .888 save percentage.

Due to the Riders’ game on 1050 CJNB, Friday’s NAPA Auto Parts North Stars Broadcast will be available on 93.3 Beach Radio. The Ultra Print Pregame Show will begin at 7 p.m. with puck drop at 7:30 p.m.

—

Martin.Martinson@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @MartyMartyPxP1