BATTLEFORDS — The Battlefords North Stars swept their way to a Canterra Seeds Cup championship.
On Saturday night in Flin Flon, the North Stars beat the host Bombers 7-4 to claim the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League championship in a four-game sweep. It is the North Stars’ fourth league championship since 2000. The squad won that year and in 2017 and 2019.
The league title caps a historic season in which the Battlefords team posted a 48-5-2-1 regular season record. The North Stars were 12-1 in the postseason. The squad won its last 12 games. In an interview with the SJHL on the ice after winning the league title, head coach Brayden Klimosko emphasized it is a special group that has found different ways to win.
“You can’t just outscore teams,” he said in the interview that was posted on the SJHL social media feeds. “You’re going to have to defend … kill penalties, whatever it takes at times. We did it. We played black and silver hockey.”
The North Stars now advance to the Centennial Cup national Junior A hockey championship. The event will be held in Portage, Man. with the nine Canadian Junior Hockey League champions plus the host Terriers battling it out for a national title. In the interview with the SJHL, Klimosko said the team is ecstatic about heading to the Centennial Cup.
“Looking forward to putting some preparation in. The job is not finished,” he said. “Looking forward to what nationals brings.”
At the historic Whitney Forum on Saturday, the visiting North Stars trailed 1-0 and 2-1 in the first period but were up 3-2 by the first intermission. Two second period goals gave Battlefords a 5-2 leads. Both teams scored twice in the third. Both of the Bombers’ goals came on the powerplay in that frame – matching the two man advantage goals the North Stars also scored in the contest. Battlefords had an empty net goal late in the game.
Jordan Grill and Steven Kesslering each scored twice for the North Stars. Also scoring for Battlefords were Holden Doell, Colby Bear, and Kian Bell. Goalie Josh Kotai made 44 saves on 48 shots. He backstopped the North Stars to all of their playoff wins.
For the Bombers, Alexi Sylvestre scored a hattrick. Jacob Vockler also found the back of the net. Harmon Laser-Hume stopped 29 shots.
The North Stars claimed the first two games at home by scores of 5-2 and 3-0. The Battlefords team then took a stranglehold on the series with a game three 6-2 victory last Friday in Flin Flon. The North Stars outshot the Bombers, 45-32.
The Battlefords team scored three straight goals in the first period. The Bombers got a goal in the final second of the frame to make the score 3-1. The North Stars scored the first two goals of the second. The Bombers got a goal and then Battlefords added one more. Neither team scored in the third period.
Kesslering had two goals for the North Stars. Also scoring for Battlefords were Tynan Ewart, Jordan Gibbs, Keiton Klein, and Bell. Josh Kotai turned away 30 the 32 goals he faced.
Sylvestre and Alex Von Sprecken had Flin Flon’s goals. Laser-Hume started and stopped 13 of the 18 shots. Kenneth Marquart came on in the second period and made 26 saves on 28 shots. Battlefords’ Bear and Flin Flon’s Von Sprecken fought in the third.
SJHL News
The Melville Millionaires announced that head coach and general manager Mike Rooney is leaving the organization. He had joined the Millionaires in 2020. The team is searching for its new leader.
Notre Dame forward Dane Probe has committed to NCAA Division III Wentworth Institute of Technology in Boston, Mass. Fellow DIII school University of Wisconsin – Stevens Point has received a commitment from Nipawin Hawks forward Alex Johnson. Chase Lacombe is headed to Nipissing University in U Sports after playing on the Humboldt Broncos blue line.
Kevin Minnoch, a Melfort Mustangs defenceman, is going to Red Deer Polytechnic, which competes in the Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference. Battlefords blueliner Zane Florene will also be in the ACAC as he is joining NAIT in Edmonton.
