Stars to meet Terriers in clash of the titans for Anavet Cup

Special teams

The Portage power play, which was ranked tops in the league during the regular season, clicking at over 25 per cent, had just above a 21 per cent success rate through the playoffs, good for fifth overall. The Terriers’ penalty kill efficiency of 79.4 per cent was ranked fourth best.

The North Stars held a 24.5 per cent effectiveness on the man advantage, improved from their 18.9 per cent of the regular season.

The Stars’ penalty kill however, is where the team truly shined as a step above the pack. After finishing second at over 86 per cent during the regular season, the North Stars upped the ante further, to close out the post- season in top spot, with an 88.7 per cent success rate on the kill.

Scoring leaders

Veteran forward MacGregor Sinclair led the Stars, and finished just outside the top five scorers with 72 points this season. Sinclair’s 45 assists were a team high as well, while North Battleford hometown hero, Owen Lamb exploded for 30 goals to lead his team in goal production.

In the playoffs, it was forwards Quintin Loon-Stewardson and Braydon Buziak leading the way offensively, scoring 19 points apiece to set the offensive tone for their club, while also finishing one-and-two in team goals with 10 and eight respectively.

Portage also saw some hometown products make a lasting impact this season, as forwards Joey Moffatt and Reilly Funk finished first and second in team scoring for the Terriers.

Moffatt’s 26 goals and 56 points led his team and placed the 17-year-old winger within the top 10 in league scoring in each category. Funk’s 35 assists finished first on the team, and ninth overall.

Through the playoffs, it was last year’s team captain, Chase Brakel leading the offensive charge.

The 20-year-old, who started the year with Cornell University of the NCAA, returned to Portage in early January, following up his 20 points in 21 games to close out the season, with another 22 in just 15 games of the playoffs.

On the blue line

Stars’ captain Cody Spagrud, who received the distinction of SJHL Top Defenceman this season, has only followed up a regular season performance that saw the Gull Lake, product finish third in rearguard scoring with another 10 points through 16 playoff games. Spagrud’s offensive contribution comes in addition to playing top minutes each night against the opposition’s best.

Spagrud leads a North Stars’ blue line that has seen all seven players to suit up on the backend notch at least a single goal on the team’s playoff run, with the unit combining for a combined 10 goals total.

Portage meanwhile, was one of only two teams in the MJHL to boast two forty-plus point scorers from the blue line position this season, as both Owen Murray and Caelan McPhee hit the benchmark for their team.

Murray, a rookie in the league, has had an especially impressive debut season, as the Dekker, MB., product began the campaign as a 15-year-old, and ended the year by taking home the Vince Leah Trophy, as Rookie of the Year.

Six different Terriers’ defencemen chipped in through the playoffs with at least a single goal, as Portage received a total 14 goals from their blue line.

Between the pipes

Stars’ goalie, Joel Grzybowski is coming off a post-season run for the ages, as the 19-year-old earned Playoff MVP honours, pacing the league in virtually every goaltending stat.

Grzybowski’s .950 save percentage is the highest by a starting goalie on a league-championship club in over 10 years, achieving the feat with a full 16 games played.

In addition to topping the competition in both games played and wins (12), Grzybowski’s 1.68 goals-against average stood alone as the 19-year-old was the lone netminder to average under two goals-against per game.

The Terriers, meanwhile, saw a bit of a goalie carousel through their post-season.

Nineteen-year-old, Ethan Peterson played the bulk of the minutes through the playoffs, winning nine of his 12 games on his team’s championship run, while posting a 2.32 goals-against average and .913 save percentage in the process.

A native of Park River, ND., Peterson started just 20 games for the Terriers this season, after being acquired from Swan Valley in late October.

Eighteen-year-old Nathan Moore, who carried the mail for much of the season, playing 31 of his team’s 60 games, appeared in just four playoff games of his own this spring, including coming on in a relief capacity.

One of Moore’s three starts on his team’s playoff run, however, saw the youngster receive the nod in Game 7 of the league final, ultimately stopping 30 of 32 shots to help deliver his team to victory with the championship at stake.

Patented Playoff performer

Stars’ rookie Kaden Boser, who scored four goals in 41 games of the regular season, had three in just 12 games of the playoffs. More impressive yet, is that all three were game-winners for his team – two of which came in overtime.

At the other end, Terriers’ defenceman, Sam Huston, who at 6’5″, 211 pounds, towers over much of the opposition, scored four goals, 16 points in 36 games of the regular season. Through 15 games of the playoffs, Huston nearly doubled his goal total (seven), while picking up 13 points.

Game 1 of the Stars’ and Terriers’ Finals’ series will be played Friday in Portage. The Ultra Print Pregame Show will begin at 6 p.m. with puck drop at 6:30 p.m. on NAPA North Stars hockey on 1050 CJNB.

Series schedule:

April 26 -> Game 1 @ Stride Place (Portage)

April 27 -> Game 2 @ Stride Place

April 30 -> Game 3 @ NB Civic Centre

May 1 -> Game 4 @ NB Civic Centre

May 2 -> Game 5 @ NB Civic Centre*

TBD -> Game 6 @ Stride Place*

TBD -> Game 7 @ NB Civic Centre*

*indicates if necessary

–

Martin.Martinson@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: MartyMartyPxP1

by Martin Martinson

Stars to meet Terriers in clash of the titans for Anavet Cup

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