By Roger White

North Stars begin busy weekend tonight in Yorkton

Jan 19, 2018 | 11:02 AM

The final push towards the playoffs begins for the Battlefords North Stars tonight, as they open a weekend road trip with a stop in Yorkton to face a Terrier team that they have dominated for the past three seasons.

On paper, it’s a David versus Goliath scenario.

The North Stars are first in the Global Ag Risk Solutions Division with a 28-6-2-0 record with 58 points, while Yorkton has just eight wins in 38 games this season (8-27-2-1) for 19 points and sit last in the Viterra Division and just three points ahead of La Ronge for last place in the overall SJHL standings.

Over the past three seasons, the North Stars have a 10-1-0 record against the Terriers including three shut outs. This season the Stars have won three straight games against Yorkton and have fired 161 shots on goal, including 72 on goalie Nolan Maier in a 5-2 win on Oct. 27.

Making things worse for the Terriers is the fact that both of the Stars goaltenders have stellar career numbers against Yorkton; Taryn Kotchorek has is 2-0 with a 2.00 goals against average against Yorkton, while Joel Grzybowski is 3-0 with 2 shut-outs and a 1.00 goals against average. The Terriers on the other hand have a tough time keeping the puck out of their net; having given up the most goals this season (190) in the SJHL. 

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The North Stars top line of Layne Young (2 goals, 6 assists), MacGregor Sinclair (3 goals, 6 assists) and Dakota Huebner (3 assists) have feasted on Yorkton this season with a combined 20 points in just three games however the trio was kept off the scoresheet on Jan. 13 in a 4-3 loss to Flin Flon so they will be looking to atone for that.

Norsask North Stars begins on CJNB/CJNS tonight with Nathan Kanter at 7:15 p.m. with the Ultra Print pregame show with puck drop 7:30 p.m.

roger.white@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @RJWtheReporter