The North Stars celebrate following a recent win. (Martin Martinson/battlefordsNOW Staff)

By Martin Martinson

Best in Canada

North Stars top CJHL rankings for fifth straight week

Nov 24, 2022 | 5:32 PM

For the fifth straight week and sixth in the last seven, the Battlefords North Stars have been named the top team in Canada in the latest Canadian Junior Hockey League Top-20 Weekly Rankings.

The Stars remain the lone team in the country undefeated in regulation time heading into December, with a 10-point lead atop the SJHL standings at 20-0-2-1 through 23 games.

Other teams rounding out the top five of this week’s CJHL Top-20 include the second-ranked Brooks Bandits (26-1-1-1) of the Alberta Junior Hockey League, the third-ranked Cobras de Terrebonne (20-2-0) of the Quebec Junior Hockey League, and the fourth-ranked Toronto Jr. Canadiens (21-3-1-1) and fifth-ranked Collingwood Blues (19-2-0-1) of the Ontario Junior Hockey League.

The North Stars are coming off back-to-back victories over the rival, Flin Flon Bombers who are also nationally ranked on the Top-20 list at 19th overall.

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Goaltender Josh Kotai, who led the way for the Stars in their recent victories was also named SJHL Goaltender of the Week for his efforts stopping 109 of 114 total shots against over the two games, following up a 58-save performance in Wilkie with another 51-saves Saturday at Battleford Arena.

The Stars’ top-line trio of Holden Doell (37 points), Kian Bell (36 points), and Jake Southgate (36 points) also remain 1-2-3 in league scoring this year, having combined for eight goals and 37 points in six games over the month of November.

Additionally, as good as the top line has been, the Battlefords have also seen a wealth of contributions of late from players throughout the lineup, which has been a major key to the team’s success.

Eight different North Stars have chipped in on the team’s nine goals over their last two games. Kian Bell scored a pair, while Emmett Wurst, Jackson Allan, Keiton Klein, Evan Waldie, Colby Bear, Jake Southgate, and Zane Florence also scored for the team.

Following the postponement of the North Stars’ games initially scheduled for Thursday and Friday evening, the team will return to action when the calendar flips to December.

The North Stars will host the division rival Notre Dame Hounds Dec 2 at the ACC in North Battleford. The Ultra Print Pregame Show will begin at 7 p.m. with puck drop at 7:30 p.m. on the NAPA Auto Parts North Stars Hockey Broadcast on 1050 CJNB.

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Martin.Martinson@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @MartyMartyPxP1