Forward Steven Kesslering and his North Stars teammates will take to the ice Friday and Saturday versus Nipawin to close the preseason. (Martin Martinson/battlefordsNOW Staff)

By Martin Martinson

Looking to Stay Hot

North Stars to wrap preseason with weekend home-and-home versus Hawks

Sep 17, 2021 | 4:00 PM

Just a week out from the start of the regular season, the Battlefords North Stars will wrap up their preseason schedule this weekend with a home-and-home versus the Nipawin Hawks.

The Stars will play their final home game of the preseason Friday, Sept. 17 at the Access Communications Centre at 7:30 p.m., followed by their final tune-up, Saturday, Sept. 18 at Centennial Arena in Nipawin.

The North Stars enter action Friday with a 4-0-1 record through their opening five preseason games, but will be playing a Nipawin team who have had their moments as well, at 3-2 through the exhibition schedule.

The Battlefords will look to respond from their first loss of the preseason — a 6-5 final score last weekend via shootout versus La Ronge — while Nipawin enters the night’s contest coming off a bounce back game of their own Tuesday, after falling 6-1 to Melfort last weekend.

Offensively, the North Stars are led by forwards Ryland McNinch (four goals), Holden Doell (three goals), and Zane Florence (three goals), with a league-high 17 players who have contributed with at least a single tally. The team’s 5.8 goals per game are also a league-best mark.

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Nipawin, meanwhile, have scored just 10 goals total through five games (2.0 per game), but have limited their opposition to just 13 over the span (or 2.6 per game).

Moreover, five of the Hawks’ 10 goals have come on the man-advantage, meaning if the Stars can stay disciplined, it will go a long ways to limiting Nipawin’s offensive attack.

In accordance with the latest provincial mandate, all patrons will be required to wear a mask Friday, and at all hockey games until further notice.

The North Stars will open their regular season at home next Friday, Sept. 24 versus the Kindersley Klippers. The NAPA Auto Parts North Stars Hockey Broadcasts on 1050 CJNB will begin with the start of the regular season, with a full 30-minute Ultra Print Pregame Show to begin at 7 p.m., followed by puck drop at 7:30 p.m.

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Martin.Martinson@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @MartyMartyPxP1