Defenceman Jordan Grill and his North Stars’ teammates will return to action at the ACC Friday, in search of their second straight win to start the new year, and fourth-straight on home ice. (Martin Martinson/battlefordsNOW Staff)

By Martin Martinson

Friday Night Hockey

North Stars look to stay hot as Millionaires come to town

Jan 7, 2022 | 1:26 PM

Coming off a thrilling shootout win over Estevan in their first game of the new year earlier this week, the Battlefords North Stars will look to make it two-straight as they face the Melville Millionaires Friday in North Battleford.

Team outlook

The North Stars enter play second in the Global Ag. Risk Solutions Division and fifth overall in the league standings with a 20-9-5 record. Tied with fourth-place Flin Flon at 45 points, the team can leapfrog into fourth with a win.

Melville sit third in the Viterra Division and ninth overall at 12-16-7 on the year, but have played some of their best hockey of late. The Millionaires have won four of their last five, including most recently a 5-3 win over league-leading Humboldt on Tuesday.

Head coach of the Stars, Brayden Klimosko said the team will have to be ready against a Melville group at the top of their game heading into the weekend.

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“I think overall in the second-half here, things are pretty tight from top to bottom and you’re going to have to be at our best every game or you’ll fall short,” Klimosko said. “Melville have had seven overtime losses, so if they turn those into wins, they’re right there [near] us in the standings, so it will be a great test for us tonight.”

Players to watch

The Stars’ top line of Jake Southgate (2G, 1A, SO goal), Ryland McNinch (1G, 1A) and Keiton Klein (2A, SO winner) led the way for the team in Tuesday’s win over Estevan, as the three players combined for three goals, seven points on the night while also providing the Stars their two shootout goals.

Additionally, center Dylan Esau (1G, 1A), and defenceman Tynan Ewart (3A) are also coming off multipoint efforts. Ewart has scored five points over his last three games with the team, as he continues to establish himself amongst the league’s premier two-way blue liners. He is currently tied for fifth overall in defenceman scoring this year with 22 points.

Melville forward, Noah Wills is coming off a three-point performance of his own earlier this week, scoring two goals and an assist against the Broncos Tues., while Nicolas Samson added four helpers of his own in the night’s contest as well. Wills leads the Millionaires with 27 points in 30 games this year.

Special teams

The North Stars hold a decided edge on the man-advantage this season, as the club enters the weekend with the top-ranked power play in the league clicking at over 24 percent, to Melville’s 12 percent.

However, both teams have been about equally effective on the penalty kill this year, each hovering at just over 77 percent.

Goaltending

Stars’ starter Michael Harroch, who left Tuesday’s game following a collision off a net-mouth scramble in front, will remain sidelined for the team Friday.

However, the Stars will see a return of Ulrik Roussel this weekend who will backup Friday, and is expected to make his first start for the better part of the last two months Saturday since sustaining an upper body injury back on Nov. 5.

Lowen Kenyon will get the start for the Stars Friday, as the 17-year-old stopped all 17 shots he faced in relief Tuesday, before also shutting the door in the shootout to help lead the team to victory. In five games this season, Kenyon has posted a 1.80 goals-against average and .942 save percentage.

At the other end, Melville have split starts between goaltenders, Jared Thompson and Alexis Giroux. Thompson has posted a 3.05 goals-against average and .914 save percentage in 17 games this year, while Giroux has a 4.09 GAA and .893 save percentage in 17 games.

Friday’s NAPA Auto Parts North Stars Hockey Broadcast will be available on 1050 CJNB. The Ultra Print Pregame Show will begin at 7 p.m. with puck drop at 7:30 p.m.

North Stars game Tuesday postponed

In additional news, the SJHL announced Friday morning, an extension of the Nipawin Hawks’ pause due to COVID-19. The Hawks were scheduled to play the North Stars Tuesday, Jan. 11 in North Battleford, but that game has been postponed to a date still to be determined.

North Stars lineup

Forwards:

J. Southgate, R. McNinch, K. Klein

M. Henry, D. Esau, S. Kesslering

E. Waldie, D. Prymak, Z. Florence

T. Bahm, E. Wurst, C. Bear

Defencemen:

E. Rask, R. Little

S. Witt, T. Gold

T. Ewart, J. Grill

Goaltenders:

L. Kenyon

U. Roussel

—

Martin.Martinson@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @MartyMartyPxP1