Stars forward Jackson Allan, pictured here on the faceoff, is coming off a two-goal game Saturday night. He currently sits second in Stars' rookie scoring with 24 points in 42 games. (Martin Martinson/battlefordsNOW Staff)

By Martin Martinson

Home cooking

North Stars host Terriers in return to home ice

Feb 21, 2023 | 2:36 PM

The Battlefords North Stars will return to play on home ice, for their first game at the ACC in two-and-a-half weeks, when they welcome the Yorkton Terriers to town Tuesday night.

The North Stars (41-4-2-1) enter play first overall in the SJHL standings, having won seven of their last eight games, including most recently, a 4-2 victory Saturday night to split their weekend series with Flin Flon.

The Terriers (15-31-0-1) sit 11^th overall, and with just two wins in their last 10, will be desperate to snap a five-game skid, coming off of back-to-back losses to Weyburn last week.

The Stars’ top line of Holden Doell, Kian Bell, and Jake Southgate sit 1-2-3 in league scoring heading into play Tuesday, as Doell (79 points in 41 games) and Bell (78 points in 43 games) approach the 80-point plateau, and Southgate (67 points in 46 games) paces to become just the third player to reach 70 points this season.

Jackson Allan and Steven Kesslering are also among the hottest players of late for the Battlefords, as Allan’s two-goal night led the way in Saturday’s win, while Kesslering’s pair of assists give him eight goals and 15 points over his last 10 games.

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The North Stars offence will also receive a boost Tuesday, with the return to the lineup of forward Colby Bear from his one-game suspension, due to a game misconduct Friday. Bear is tied for sixth in team scoring with 35 points in 44 games this year. (Martin Martinson/battlefordsNOW Staff)

Yorkton is led into play by first-year standout Dylan Ruptash, who paces all rookies with 19 goals in 47 games, while his 33 points are fourth among freshmen, and first on the Terriers.

Clay Sleeva, who sits second in Terriers’ scoring with 25 points (12G, 13A), has been likely the team’s hottest player of late, with points in three straight including a four-point game versus Weyburn last week.

Between the pipes, the North Stars will go back to Josh Kotai, coming off a show-stealing weekend that saw the Abbotsford, B.C., product make 80 saves over two nights in the Battlefords’ back-to-back split in Flin Flon. This season, Kotai is 28-3-2-1, with a league-leading 2.41 goals against average and .935 save percentage.

Yorkton is likely to counter with Caleb Allen, who has made each of his team’s last two starts. Coming off a 32-save effort Saturday, Allen is 13-22-0-1 this season, with a 3.84 goals against average and .897 save percentage.

Tuesday’s game 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.

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Martin.Martinson@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @MartyMartyPxP1