The North Stars have shown great confidence on the road, posting a league best 5-1-1 record away from the Civic Centre through the playoffs. The Stars were 18-7-4 on the road over the regular season. (Martin Martinson/battlefordsNOW Staff)

By Martin Martinson

Battle Royale

Stars look to keep momentum rolling into Portage for Game 1 of Anavet Cup

Apr 26, 2019 | 1:59 PM

Following their Canalta Cup victory last week, the Battlefords North Stars now shift their focus to the Anavent Cup, with Game 1 tonight at Stride Place in Portage, home of the MJHL champion, Portage Terriers.

The North Stars’ and Terriers’ playoff runs leading to their respective league championships have been all but mirror images of one another.

The North Stars, who entered the post-season as the second seed in the SJHL, began their run to the cup with a wild seven-game series against the seventh-seeded Flin Flon Bombers. After coming out victorious with a decisive effort in the deciding seventh-game, the team then went on a tear that saw the Stars post a combined 8-1 record over their final two series, against eighth-seeded Yorkton, and third-seeded Melfort, en route to the championship, with their lone loss coming by just a single goal.

The Terriers on the other hand, followed up a dominant regular season that saw the team finish in first place, with an equally-dominant start to the playoffs. Beginning their post-season drive 8-0, the Terriers came out flying with back-to-back four-game sweeps of the eighth-seeded Waywayseecappo Wolverines in the quarter-finals, and fifth-seeded Virden Oil Capitals in the semis.

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In the finals, however, the Terriers did face some adversity of their own. Taking part in a back-and-forth seven-game series with the second-seeded Swan Valley Stampeders, the Terriers had to stave off elimination in Game 6, scoring two quick goals in the final six-and-a-half minutes of the third period, (before then adding two-additional empty-netters) to force a seventh game that the team ultimately pulled out in overtime at home.

Both team’s special teams have shown the ability to change a game, as the North Stars’ power play, which was just-under 19 per cent through the regular season, stepped up to a league-best 24.5 per cent efficiency rate in the playoffs.

The Stars’ penalty kill, which was ranked second in the Saskatchewan league through the regular season, at over 86 per cent, also reached a new level through the playoffs, leading all teams with an 88.7 per cent success-rate on the kill.

Portage, on the other hand, led the Manitoba league with a 25 per cent conversion rate on the man-advantage through the season. The Terriers’ proficiency dipped only in the slightest come the playoffs, with the team’s offensive arsenal still cashing in on 21.2 per cent of their opportunities given.

The Terriers’ kill, which was just-over 84 per cent through the season, was just-under 80 per cent on the team’s playoff run.

The Stars’ leadership core of Cody Spagrud, MacGregor Sinclair, Braydon Buziak and Owen Lamb all feature prominently on both the power play and penalty kill units for the Stars.

In similar fashion, the Terriers’ veteran core of Ty Barnstable, Chase Brakel, Scott Mickoski and Caelan McPhee also play prominent minutes in all situations, meaning it shouldn’t take long for the horses on either side to get acquainted within the series.

Brakel led the Terriers, and finished second in the MJHL, with 22 points in 15 playoff games, while fellow Winnipeg, MB., product, Scott Mickoski chipped in 16 of his own to finish second in team scoring.

Buziak and Stars’ rookie Quintin Loon-Stewardson tied for the Battlefords’ lead in points with 19 apiece, through 16 games. The pair scored a combined 18 goals between them.

Between the pipes, Joel Grzybowski enters the Anavet Cup series coming off a post-season for the ages that saw the 19-year-old post a league-best 12 wins, 1.68 goals-against average, and .950 save percentage, while also racking up four shutouts in the process.

The Terriers’ tandem of 19-year-old Ethan Peterson and 18-year-old Nathan Moore has featured a bit of a unique storyline of its own this spring. After splitting starts through the regular season, Peterson carried the bulk of the load for his team through the playoffs, with nine wins and a .913 save percentage through his team’s 12-game run to the Turnbull Cup.

However, it was the rookie Moore, who was given the nod for his team in Game 7 of the championship series, making just his third start of the playoffs in the effort. Moore posted a 3.00 goals-against average and .876 save percentage through the playoffs.

The Ultra Print Pregame Show for Game 1 will begin at 6 p.m. with puck drop at 6:30 p.m. on NAPA North Stars hockey on 1050 CJNB. Marty Martinson will have the call on the action.

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 @ Stride Place*

*indicates if necessary

–

Martin.Martinson@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: MartyMartyPxP1