By Martin Martinson

North Stars hungry for first win against Mustangs

Sep 20, 2018 | 5:00 PM

The Battlefords North Stars are in action tonight, as they welcome the Melfort Mustangs to town. The North Stars are off to a bit of a rough start, falling 3-1 and 3-2 to the Kindersley Klippers to open the season, and will now aim to find some success against a team in the Mustangs, who are coming off a home-and-home of their own that offered mixed results.

Melfort came out flying to start the season claiming a huge 8-4 victory over the Notre Dame Hounds in their opening game, before the Hounds answered back with a 4-0 win of their own at home at the Duncan McNeil Arena in Wilcox, Sask.

Brayden Klimosko, head coach of the North Stars said he hopes from his team’s perspective, that any early-season jitters his squad may have had through the first couple of games will be all but subsided at this point as the players start to develop their groove in the lineup, and find their niche.

The North Stars’ power play came alive in their last game, scoring two man-advantage goals in the third period of last Saturday’s game. Klimosko said he is hopeful his team can carry over that momentum and confidence into tonight’s action against the Mustangs.

“It’s going to be a bit of a different penalty kill that we see tonight,” Klimosko said. “[The Mustangs have] a bit more of a pressure penalty kill and hopefully we can handle that pressure.”

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The North Stars scored all three of their goals through their first two games in the third period, and while Klimosko likes his team’s resiliency, the coach said he would like to see them crack the goose egg on their side of the scoreboard before the final frame of action.

“In the third [period] you always want to have your best, but you also don’t want to be down [on the scoreboard] from the first and second [periods],” Klimosko said. “I think the big thing this week is really focusing in on having a good first period and being in the hockey game that way. It’s always tough playing from behind, so hopefully we can score the first one and gain some momentum,” he added.

The North Stars will enter action against Melfort this evening, missing a key piece on their blue line, as the Stars will be without defenceman Noah Form. Form was injured in the team’s last game against the Klippers and will not be available for the black, silver and white tonight.

In Form’s place comes Mitchell Bosch. Bosch was not in the lineup last game, but gets his opportunity tonight alongside Stars’ captain, Cody Spagrud on the team’s top defensive pair.

The North Stars forward group sees a shake up as well with some key personnel moves within the top six in particular. Versatile forward Matthias Urbanski will return to the wing alongside MacGregor Sinclair and former Okotoks Oiler, Regan Doig, who’s getting set for his second game with the club.

Owen Lamb will slide up to center the second line, flanked by left-winger Braydon Buziak and Brett Gammer on the right side.

Ryan Gil, who leads the team with two goals through the first two games, will line up with the Loon-Stewardson brothers on a line that will see Quintin shift to the centre-ice position.

Gil said while it’s always nice to contribute to the team by scoring, team success is what he and the group as a whole are hoping to achieve.

“It’s always good to get the first [goals] out of the way, but it is a team game, and we want to get that win every night,” he said. “Personally it feels good to score, but we want to get that win for sure.“

On a light-hearted note, Gil, a Torrance, California native originally, said he’s still adjusting to winters in Saskatchewan.

“I came last year in October, [and] it was pretty cold,” he said with a bit of a smirk. “Right now it snowed about a week ago and I was not feeling it. I don’t have the right jackets and I’m not ready for winter.”

Regardless of his feelings toward Saskatchewan winters outdoors, on the ice-rink, Gil looks more-than-comfortable. Since joining the North Stars last season, he potted four goals and six points in six games wearing a North Stars’ sweater.

Fans of the North Stars can tune in to 1050 CJNB for pre-game tee-up all of tonight’s action at 7:15 p.m. with puck drop to follow at 7:30 p.m.

Martin.Martinson@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: MartyMartyPxP1