By Martin Martinson

North Stars determined to make strong finish at showcase

Sep 25, 2018 | 8:24 AM

The Battlefords North Stars will be hoping to replicate their early success at the SJHL Showcase in Warman this morning.

After their 6-3 win over the La Ronge Ice Wolves in their first game, they aim win their second consecutive game for the first time this season. The team is 2-3 heading into action Tuesday with the Weyburn Red Wings; the team they met in the second round of the playoffs last season.

The Red Wings will enter action boasting a 3-1 record thanks in large part due to a stellar opening to the season at home. The red and white posted back-to-back wins at Crescent Point Place, before heading out on the road where, after facing their first brief taste of adversity (a 5-3 defeat to Yorkton) the Wings thrashed back with a vengeance, destroying their following opponent, the La Ronge Ice Wolves, 8-0 in their first game of the league showcase.

The Red Wings have scored a combined, 22 goals through their first four games. Needless to say, if the North Stars hope to find success this morning , they’ll need to play a strong two-way game, coming back to defend as a unit, while also continuing their recent even-strength scoring touch they seem to have found as a team last game.

Six different Stars’ players scored Sunday night against La Ronge, with all but one of the goals coming at even-strength. The power play also remained fruitful, as Elijah Loon-Stewardson managed to pot his first goal of the year while on the man-advantage late in the second period.

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Few changes are expected today from Sunday night’s lineup against La Ronge.

Goaltender Joel Grzybowski will return to the crease, looking for his second win of the season. “Gryz” as he’s known by teammates, has been solid through his first four starts this season for the Stars. Tonight will be Grzybowski’s 50th career game in the SJHL.

After witnessing scoring contributions from up and down the lineup in Sunday’s win against La Ronge, there are no changes expected to the forward lines.

On the back end, the North Stars were dealt another blow to the left side of their defense. With left-hander, Noah Form still out long term, the Stars will also be without defenseman Jacob Bayne. Bayne has been one of the true leaders on the back-end, and his absence will require a group-effort to fill the void. The 18-year-old standout, Bayne had been playing primarily next to Saskatoon’s Matthew Fletcher in the top four, but last game was moved up further to the left of recently named SJHL Defenseman of the Week, Cody Spagrud. Tanner Scott, who will be suiting up for his third game with the team since being acquired will shift up today to the left of Spagrud, with Ryan Granville coming into the lineup to play beside Adam Weiner on a dynamic puck-moving pairing.

Seth Summers and Matthew Fletcher will remain together for the second consecutive game on what has come to be an extremely mobile, and versatile pairing that impacts the game heavily at either end of the ice.

The Stars’ lineup at a glance

Forwards:

M. Urbanski, M. Sinclair, R. Doig

Q. Loon-Stewardson, A. Becker, R. Gil

E. Loon-Stewardson, B. Buziak, O. Lamb

K. Boser, B. Gammer, D. Esau

Defense: 

T. Scott, C. Spagrud

S. Summers, M. Fletcher

R. Granville, A. Weiner

Goaltenders:

J. Grzybowski

J. Davidson

Martin.Martinson@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: MartyMartyPxP1