North Stars set for return to action against Klippers

The Battlefords North Stars return to action tonight coming off their Christmas break to take on the arch-rival Kindersley Klippers in the first of a home-and-home showdown this weekend beginning in Kindersley.

The North Stars are 19-9-6 through their first 34 games, as the black and silver will be aiming to rekindle the spark that saw their team win three-straight prior to the holiday layoff.

The Klippers are just ahead of the North Stars in the Global Ag. Risk Solutions Division with a 22-8-4 record over their first 34 games, with a division-leading 48 points. A large reason for the Klippers success has been their play as of late, boasting an 8-1-1 record over their last 10 games, with their lone regulation loss coming at the hands of the Stars, a 4-2 North Stars’ victory the last time the teams met, Nov. 24.

Between the pipes, tonight offers a dual of two of the league’s premier goaltenders, as Klippers’ starter, Justen Close is following up a performance last season that saw the Kindersley, Sask., hometown product take home Top Goaltender honours on the strength of a 2.71 goals against average and .923 save percentage, totals the now 20-year-old has only continued to build on this season with an even better 1.97 goals against average (second amongst goalies with 20+ games played) and .934 save percentage (second best amongst starters) through his first 24 games. That elite level of play has led to Close being named SJHL Goaltender of the Week a staggering five times already this season.  

At the other end of the ice, Stars’ goaltender Joel Grzybowski also sits amongst the upper-echelon in virtually every meaningful goaltending stat category, with 14 wins (T-4th), a 2.42GAA (third amongst goalies with 20+ starts), and .916 save percentage (fourth amongst starters) while being a workhorse having played 26 games, good for second most in the league.

2023-24 Hardware

AAA Stars celebrate best of season with year-end awards

18h ago

Real Estate

Buying or selling a house? Do your homework first

21h ago

NB council

City approves new land sale on Buhler Bay

22h ago

Grzybowski also seems to have taken his game up to an even higher level as of late, having posted a .957 save percentage over his last six games, leading his team to a 5-0-1 record over the span.

Solid goaltending is not the only similarity between the North Stars and Klippers, either. Up front, each team prides themselves on a balanced attack, with the Stars led offensively by MacGregor Sinclair, whose 24 assists and 36 points in 33 games set the pace for his team.

Sinclair will be joined tonight by rookie stalwarts Brett Gammer and Austin Becker on his wings. The Becker, Gammer freshman tandem has shown tremendous chemistry when assembled together throughout the season, adding Sinclair between the two, and the primetime minutes that will result, make this trio one to watch Friday night.  

On line two, Matthias Urbanski, who ranks second in each key offensive stat category, including goals (14), assists (19) and points (33), will see Ryan Gil to his left and Dayton Heino to his right on the lone line from pre-Christmas to remain intact up front. 

Dylan Esau, who has been featured in a variety of roles, mainly on the fourth unit to start his SJHL career, will be promoted to third line center tonight, having earned the opportunity to line up between Owen Lamb, who leads the club in goals with 16, and Regan Doig on a line offering grit and two-way acumen that should measure up well against the pugnacious nature of the Klippers, fighting fire with fire.

The fourth unit is where things begin to look a bit different. With both Braydon Buziak and Elijah and Quintin Loon-Stewardson out due to illness, the Stars energy line will feature Kaden Boser and A.P. call-up, Luke Fennig.

Fennig is a 17-year-old who joins the big club after leading the Battlefords Stars SMHL team with 15 goals and 25 points through the team’s first 26 games.

The Stars will dress seven defencemen.

On the blue line, Cody Spagrud will be joined on the Stars top pairing by Tanner Scott.  

Spagrud’s 25 points place the veteran defenceman fourth in rearguard production. In addition to his offence, the Stars’ captain has proven to be a pain for opposition forwards looking to infiltrate the Battlefords’ zone and will no doubt be a key contributor for the Stars again if the team hopes to find success tonight.

The Battlefords’ blue line will be facing speed and grit three lines deep from the home side, led by Klippers’ forwards such as Kyle Bosch, who leads Kindersley with 25 points, Tyler Traptow (standing at a hulking 6’4, 185 lbs) and Josh Fletcher, who has scored three goals in four games against the Stars this season.

In addition to the Battlefords’ top defensive unit, the team’s second pair, featuring Matthew Fletcher and Seth Summers will be key once again for the black and silver, bringing a steady two-way game and quick puck movement that will be a critical element against a hard-nosed Klipper attack. The duo also possesses an underrated mean-streak; just ask Klippers’ captain, Cameron Shorrock who dropped the gloves with Summers in a heated bout when the two teams met back on Oct. 24.

Austin Shumanski and Ryan Granville on pair three offer a reliable no-nonsense duo to shore up the Stars’ blue line unit, with Noah Form dressed as the seventh defenceman, likely to see some time with each of the pairings.

Fans can tune into the action on 1050 CJNB beginning with the pregame show at 7:15 p.m. with puck drop to follow at 7:30 p.m.

North Stars lineup at a glance

Forwards:

A. Becker, M. Sinclair, B. Gammer

R. Gil, M. Urbanski, D. Heino

O. Lamb, D. Esau, R. Doig 

K. Boser, L. Fennig

Defencemen:

T. Scott, C. Spagrud

S. Summers, M. Fletcher

A. Shumanski, R. Granville

N. Form

Goaltenders:

J. Grzybowski

C. Duran

Scratched:

B. Buziak (illness)

E. Loon-Stewardson (illness)

Q. Loon-Stewardson (illness)

J. Bayne (Lower body injury)

Martin.Martinson@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: MartyMartyPxP1