Stars aim to keep ball rolling against Terriers in Game 2

In total, fifteen different players have now scored for the Battlefords through eight games of the playoffs, including six different defensemen.

Forward Quintin Loon-Stewardson seems to be only continuing to gain confidence by the game, coming off a three-point night to open the semifinals series. With the production, Loon-Stewardson now sits just a single point back of Terriers’ forward Colby Brandt in the playoff scoring race with 11 points in eight games played.

Loon-Stewardson has been making the most of his opportunity at center ice on the Stars’ 1A unit with Elijah Loon-Stewardson and Braydon Buziak, as each of the three potted a goal Friday, while combining for six points on the night.

Also worthy of note from Friday’s opening game was the North Stars’ fourth line, featuring Kaden Boser, Dayton Heino and Regan Doig, who left their fingerprints all over game one.

The three were used often in a matchup role against Yorkton’s top unit of Colby Brandt, Chantz Petruic, and Cody Bruchkowski, who entered the series as the highest-scoring top line this postseason.

in addition to keeping the Yorkton big line to just a single even-strength point between them, the Stars’ trio also chipped in offensively with one of their own.

Heino scored his first of the playoffs midway through the second period, while Regan Doig drew not-one, but two penalties on the night, from the opposition. Boser fought Yorkton’s Mason Mullaney in a spirited bout between the two combatants early in the third.

An interesting development in this series will be to see if the Terriers can find an answer for the Stars’ fourth unit, a line that was a thorn in the side of the Bombers’ skilled players throughout the first round.

From a Yortkon perspective, Cole Keenleyside, a 20-year-old from less than four hours down the road in Hazlet, Sask., opened the scoring for the Terriers, and was likely Yorkton’s most noticeable forward on the night, also generating a breakaway opportunity in the contest.

In addition to scoring his fourth of the playoffs, Keenleyside also features in as a prominent fixture on the Terriers’ go-to checking-line, along with centerman, Dino Antoniadis and winger Quinten Hobbs.

All three play an abrasive, in-your-face style of game, as the unit was matched up throughout the night against either the Sinclair line, or the Loon-Stewardson unit almost exclusively, despite Yorkton being the road team.

The Petruic, Brandt, Bruchkowski line showed just how offensively inclined they can be in the opening game, as despite the tight checking, the three were able to collect a couple of points, having a hand in each of the team’s two goals between them.

In goal, Joel Grzybowski, who stopped 29 of Yorkton’s 31 shots on the night, appears to have picked up right where he left off in Round 1 against Flin Flon, as the 19-year-old netminder was excellent throughout Friday night, standing tall when called upon for a big save.

Yorkton’s Ryan Oulllette, who was pulled in each of his two starts against the Battlefords during the regular season, let in six, but still made 37 stops, including several nice saves from in tight to keep his team in it prior to the game getting out of hand in the third.

The Ultra Print Pregame Show will begin at 7 p.m. with puck drop at 7:30 p.m. on NAPA North Stars Hockey on 1050 CJNB. Marty Martinson will have the call on the action.

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Martin.Martinson@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: MartyMartyPxP1

by Martin Martinson

Stars aim to keep ball rolling against Terriers in Game 2

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