There will be no shortage of star power on display Saturday night in North Battleford, including two of the top wingers in the game, in the Stars' Kian Bell and Mustangs' Dawson Leroux. (Martin Martinson/battlefordsNOW Staff)

By Martin Martinson

Saturday night Showdown

Stars host Mustangs in search of fifth straight

Feb 4, 2023 | 2:06 PM

For just the second time in their last 12 games, and the third since the turn of the new year, the Battlefords North Stars will return to home ice Saturday night, as the team welcome the Melfort Mustangs to town.

The North Stars (38-3-2-1) enter play in top spot overall of the league standings, having won four straight, coming off most recently a 5-2 victory at Notre Dame.

The Mustangs (23-12-5-2) are fifth in the league standings, having won four of their last five games, with at least a point in five straight, coming off most-recently a 4-1 win over Humboldt last Saturday.

With 53 points Melfort sit just two back of fourth-place Flin Flon (55 points), four back of third-place Humboldt (57 points), and six back of second-place La Ronge (59 points), while holding four games in-hand on the latter (LAR).

Saturday’s game will be largely a ‘Team Gold’ reunion from earlier this week at the SJHL/MJHL Showcase.

Grey Cup!!!

Everything you wanted and more

Nov 21, 2025

12 Best Tips to Spend Less at Christmas

Nov 18, 2025

Cybercrime response

Prince Albert Police Service 'limited in scope' to properly investigate fraud crimes

Nov 17, 2025

Seven North Stars players, and eight Mustangs made up 15 of the 20 roster spots for the team that went 2-0 against Manitoba competition in a dominant showing, coached by Stars’ and Mustangs’ bench-bosses, Brayden Klimosko and Trevor Blevins.

North Stars Holden Doell (74 points in 37 games), Kian Bell (72 points in 39 games) and Jake Southgate (62 points in 42 games) remain 1-2-3 in league scoring this year heading into the final five weeks of the regular season. Each of the three enter play Saturday coming off multi-point games.

Doell is coming off a one-goal two assist outing, with four straight multi-point games (3G, 6A) over his last five, while Southgate had a goal and a helper for now four multi-point efforts in his last five (2G, 8A).

Bell scored another pair to extend his league-leading goal total to 40 goals in 39 games, and set up a dramatic final 12 games, as he shoots to become the first Stars’ player since his uncle more than three decades ago to hit the 50-goal plateau.

Stars’ veterans Steven Kesslering and Tynan Ewart have also been at their best of late. Kesslering is coming off back-to-back multi-point games (2G, 2A in last two) to sit 10^th in league scoring with 44 points in 42 games. Ewart’s 43 points pace all blue liners, having picked up nine points (9A) in his last five games as the defending SJHL Defenseman of the Month.

Melfort are led by their captain, Ben Tkachuk who was named the SJHL MVP of the Month for a four-goal, 19-point month of January, as he also enter the weekend coming off a three-point game (1G, 2A), last Saturday.

Just back of Tkachuk’s 43 points in 31 games to lead the Mustangs in scoring this year, are Dawson Leroux (42 points in 40 games) and Zac Somers (37 in 35) who are also coming off multi-point showings.

Leroux had three assists Sat., to enter play with three-straight multi-point games, while Somers added a goal and a helper, and along with Tkachuk and Tye Evans makes the Mustangs one of the deepest teams in the league down the middle of the ice.

In goal, Saturday night’s matchup will also feature two of the very best between the pipes.

The North Stars will start Josh Kotai who leads every major statistical category at the position, with 26 wins, a 2.26 goals against average and .938 save percentage.

Melfort are expected to counter with James Venne, who has 14 wins in 22 games this year, with a 2.49 goals against average and .920 save percentage.

Saturday’s game, at the ACC in North Battleford, 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