North Stars forwards, Matthew Henry (#11) and Aiden Arnold (#6) battle with Hawks forwards off the draw during preseason action over the weekend. (Martin Martinson/battlefordsNOW Staff)

By Martin Martinson

Countdown to season start

North Stars wrap preseason, shift focus to season opener Friday

Sep 20, 2021 | 4:05 PM

The Battlefords North Stars wrapped their preseason over the weekend, with a home-and-home versus the Nipawin Hawks.

While Nipawin would ultimately take both games in regulation, 5-4 Friday in North Battleford, and 5-2 Saturday in Nipawin, the Stars still finished the preseason 4-2-1 through their seven exhibition games.

Head coach and general manager, Brayden Klimosko said despite the pair of defeats to close things out, there’s still plenty to like about the team’s performance through their exhibition schedule, heading into their home opener Friday.

“We’re going to be a hard-working group that’s going to put a lot of pressure on other teams,” Klimosko said. “We do have a few all-stars, but I think we’re a very deep team, and the balance that we’re going to have throughout our lineup is really exciting. We’re going to have four pretty strong lines this year.”

With 18 different goal scorers through their seven preseason games – including 11 players with two or more goals – the Stars look poised to pick up where they left off two years ago, with one of the deepest offensive attacks in the league.

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Ryland McNinch (4G), Zane Florence (4G), Holden Doell (3G) and Ryder Kenyon (3G) led the team in terms of goals scored through the preseason, playing primarily over three separate lines between the four of them.

Jake Southgate, Bradley Blake, Colby Bear, Emmitt Wurst, Ethan Scriven and defenceman Wilson Steele also pitched in with a pair apiece. While Dylan Esau, Steven Kesslering, KT Walters, Daniel Thiessen, Aiden Arnold, Jace Bymoen, and blue liner Easton Rask also scored for the club.

Goaltending boost

In goal, the Stars also made a trade over the weekend, in which the team acquired ’02-born goaltender, Cameron Beson in exchange for a player development fee. Standing 6’1, 181 lbs., Beson is a former Canadian Sport School Hockey League (CSSHL) U16 WHL Scholastic Player of the Year.

Beson cut his teeth at the ‘Junior A’ level as a 16-year-old two years ago, playing 13 games with Fort McMurray of the AJHL. In two preseason games with the Red Wings this year, prior to the trade, Beson posted a 1-1 record with a .947 save percentage.

Currently, the North Stars have 28 players on the roster, with a rough cap of 25, not including injuries, expected to be met by opening night.

The North Stars will open their season on home ice this Friday in North Battleford. Due to the Rider game, the NAPA Auto Parts North Stars Hockey Broadcast will be on 93.3 The Rock, with pregame at 7 p.m., and puck drop to follow at 7:30 p.m.

The home-opener will serve as the team’s introduction to the fans this year. The Stars will not hold their annual pancake breakfast season-kickoff this year, due to the pandemic.

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Martin.Martinson@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @MartyMartyPxP1