Forwards Ryland McNinch (#20 Stars) and Jaxon Martens (#18 Bombers) will lead their teams into action Friday night at the ACC, as one of the league's top rivalries renews between the two teams. (Martin Martinson/battlefordsNOW Staff)

By Martin Martinson

Playoffs Begin

North Stars host Bombers for Game 1 of first round series

Mar 18, 2022 | 2:24 PM

Game 1 of the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League (SJHL) playoffs begins Friday for the Battlefords North Stars, who will open their first round best-of-seven series with the Flin Flon Bombers at the ACC in North Battleford.

Reigniting one of the fiercest rivalries in junior hockey, the quarterfinals matchup marks the teams’ fourth time facing off in a playoff series in the last seven years (six seasons).

The North Stars (35-17-6) finished just five points ahead of the Bombers (34-21-3) at the end of the 58-game regular season, as the fourth seed overall with 76 points, to Flin Flon’s 71, in fifth.

The teams split the four games of the season series at two-games apiece, something not lost on head coach of the Stars, Brayden Klimosko who expects it to be a highly-competitive series.

“There’s obviously that rivalry there and we’ve always matched up really well on both sides, as both teams seem to have some of the top players and be some of the top teams in the league over these last few years and seem to run into each other every time,” Klimosko said. “They don’t like us, we don’t like them and that’s all part of playoff hockey, which makes it exciting.”

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Featuring two of the league’s top offences, the North Stars’ 207 goals (tied for third) finished just a single up on Flin Flon’s 206 (fifth), though between the two teams just a single player – Stars leading scorer, Dylan Esau – cracked the top 10 in league points, pointing to the depth of attack on both sides.

The Stars had two 50-point scorers, in Esau and Jake Southgate (52 points), two 40-point scorers with Steven Kesslering (46 points) and captain Ryland McNinch (42 points); and three more to top the 30-point plateau, as Zane Florence, Holden Doell and defenceman Tynan Ewart each finished with 32 points apiece (Doell while being limited to just 38 games).

The Bombers by contrast had just a single 50-point man, as blue liner Xavier Lapointe led his team – and topped all league defenceman – with 50 points exactly. Eclipsing 40-points were captain Zak Smith (48 points), Jaxon Martens (46 points), and Drew Kuzma and Jaeden Mercier (44 points each); while Cole Duperrault (39 points), Jacob Vockler (38 points), Jaremi Tremblay (35 in 37), Brett Wieschorster (34 points) and Reece Richmond (31 points) hit 30-plus.

With the wealth of firepower on both sides, perhaps it’s only fitting the teams would also boast two of the top goaltenders in the league to tend the crease, in Michael Harroch and Cal Schell.

Harroch will make his return to the North Stars lineup for Game 1, after missing the last 11 due to injury. In 24 games this year, Harroch has been lights out for the Stars, posting a 13-4-4 record with a 2.82 goals-against average and .925 save percentage.

Schell has similarly been a cornerstone to his team’s success, posting a 25-12-2 record in 41 games, with a 2.39 goals-against average and .923 save percentage.

The NAPA Auto Parts North Stars Hockey Broadcast will be available Friday on 1050 CJNB, with the Ultra Print Pregame Show at 7 p.m., and puck drop to follow at 7:30 p.m.

The full schedule breakdown of the Stars and Bombers’ first round series, including dates and times is available here.

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Martin.Martinson@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @MartyMartyPxP1