North Stars take SJHL championship with Game 4 win

By Martin Martinson

The Battlefords North Stars capped a fairytale season Saturday night in Flin Flon, posting a 7-4 victory in Game 4 of the SJHL final to sweep the best-of-seven series with the rival Flin Flon Bombers.

Winners of the league’s first-ever Canterra Seeds Cup, the North Stars completed a season-long journey that saw the group set a franchise record with 48 wins and 99 points in the regular season on its way to a dominant playoff run.

Following a five-game series win over the Weyburn Red Wings in Round 1, the Stars posted back-to-back four-game sweeps of the Melfort Mustangs and Bombers to clinch the league title.

The run was among the most dominant in league history, as the North Stars won 12 straight playoff games and 12 of 13 total this post-season.

The North Stars led Saturday’s game 3-2 at the end of the first period and 5-2 after two.

Steven Kesslering, who scored a pair in the win, was named the playoff MVP. He finished the post-season with 14 goals and 18 points in 13 games, including at least one goal in nine of the 13 games.

Jordan Grill also scored a pair of goals in the Game 4 victory, while Holden Doell, Colby Bear and Kian Bell added one goal each. Josh Kotai shut the door on the Bombers with 45 saves.

Alexi Sylvestre, with three, and Jacob Vockler had goals for the Bombers.

The championship is the North Stars’ first since 2019.

The North Stars advance to the Centennial Cup in Portage, Man., to compete for a national championship.

Hear from @SJHL_NorthStars HC/GM Brayden Klimosko following his club winning the @canterraseeds Cup! #SJHL #StayHerePlayHere pic.twitter.com/5rmjWF8pEZ

— SJHL (@theSJHL) April 23, 2023