Emmett Wurst and his North Stars teammates will play host to the division rival Hounds Friday in North Battleford. (Martin Martinson/battlefordsNOW Staff)

By Martin Martinson

Friday night Hockey

North Stars host Hounds for divisional showdown

Dec 2, 2022 | 3:53 PM

For the first time in two weeks, the Battlefords North Stars will return to action Friday, for their second game of the season series with the Notre Dame Hounds.

The game will also be the first since Oct. 28 for the Stars at the Access Communications Centre (Civic Centre), due to the repairs earlier last month and postponements versus La Ronge last weekend.

Despite the lack of games played of late, the Stars are coming off their sixth straight week ranked atop the Canadian Junior Hockey League Top 20 Rankings.

The Stars (20-0-2-1) are the lone team in Canada still undefeated in regulation heading into December, and enter play Friday in search of their fourth straight.

The Hounds (10-11-3) are third in the Global Ag. Risk Solutions Division and eighth overall in the league standings. In search of a quick bounce back after falling to La Ronge in OT Wednesday, the Hounds have picked up at least a single point in three straight heading into play.

Made in Saskatchewan

Find My Plus One: The Canadian App for Getting Out and Living Your Best Life

Mar 09, 2026

Riderville

Ask Not for Whom the Ed Hervey Tampering Window Opens!

Feb 02, 2026

Seniors Scene

New Year - New Habits

Feb 02, 2026

Friday’s game will feature a showdown of two of the league’s premier blue liners.

Stars’ alternate captain Tynan Ewart has 21 points in 23 games this season to sit just a single point back of Estevan’s Alex Blanchard and Aleksa Babic (who have played 29 games apiece) for tops at the position, while holding a league-best 0.91 points per game average among rearguards.

Hounds’ captain Jaryd Sych counters with 19 points of his own to sit fifth amongst defensemen, while his seven goals are just two back of Blanchard for the blue-line lead.

Both players are heavily relied upon for big minutes on the defensive side of things in addition to their offensive contributions. Ewart in particular will be counted on for big minutes Friday, with shutdown staple Tanner Gold (illness) and veteran Wilson Steele (lower body) each expected to miss the night’s action.

Forward, Brad Blake will shift back to the blue line for Friday night’s contest to fill in during the pair’s absence.

Up front, the North Stars are led by a deep offensive attack, headlined by the league’s top three scorers in Holden Doell (37 points), Kian Bell (36 points), and Jake Southgate (36 points). Though the team has also seen a wealth of depth contributions through the first half of the schedule.

The Stars have had eight different players chip in on their last nine goals as a team over the last two games. Bell has a pair, while Emmett Wurst, Jackson Allan, Keiton Klein, Evan Waldie, Colby Bear, Jake Southgate, and Zane Florence also scored for the team.

Notre Dame’s Will Dawson leads the Hounds with 22 points in 24 games, with two goals, four points in his last two outings.

Forwards Antoine Saint-Onge and Dane Probe are tied for third in Hounds’ scoring with 16 points in 24 games, with Probe, in particular, likely to be tasked through the night with matchup duties against the Stars’ Doell unit.

In goal, the North Stars will turn to Justen Maric to make his sixth start of the season. Maric has been lights out for the team this year with a 5-0 record and 2.60 goals against average, .931 save percentage.

Notre Dame is likely to start Tucker Inabinet, after giving him the night off Wednesday. A rare rest for the workhorse starter, Inabinet has played 15 games for the Hounds this year with a 7-6-1 record, 2.70 goals against average and .914 save percentage.

Friday’s game at the ACC 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. on the NAPA Auto Parts North Stars Hockey Broadcast.

—

Martin.Martinson@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @MartyMartyPxP1