The Battlefords North Stars and Flin Flon Bombers kick off their Bauer Conference Survivor Series matchup tonight at the North Battleford Civic Center. These teams split their season series, and are both heading into the post-season with a point to prove. Both teams feel they are better than their regular season record would indicate, and starting tonight, we get to see which team is more 'for real' than the other.
FLIN FLON BOMBERS:
Who's Up Front:
Andrew Johnston torched the Battlefords North Stars during the regular season, and he will be called upon to do so again come playoff time. Johnston provides Mike Reagan's team with a consistent degree of speed, skill and smarts. Johnston is particularly dangerous on the power-play. If Flin Flon wins the special-teams war, they may very well likely win the series. Andrew Johnston will be the offensive focal point, one way or another.
Who's on D:
20-year-old defenceman Tanner Korchinski heads into the post-season as the 20-year-old stalwart on the Bomber's blueline. Korchinski can get the job done at both ends. He's a smooth skater with great vision, and has recorde 37 points for Mike Reagan this season. When Korchinski wants too, he can be one of the best defencemen in the league.
Who's in Goal:
P.J. Musico. Does anything else need to be said? He's the Flin Flon Bomber's number one netminder for a reason. Even amidst a relatively average record, his key saves at key times have helped him establish himself as one of the top goalies in the SJHL.
X-Factor:
Bomber's forward Deven Stillar made it no secret last week that he and Kyle Birch have a mutual rivalry going. The winner of that rivalry could very well determine the series. Stillar has a ton of offensive upside, and will need to bring it consistently if Flin Flon wants to find success. The ultimate key for Stillar is to stay calm when things get out of thand.
BATTLEFORDS NORTH STARS:
Who's Up Front:
Stars forward Blake Tatchell was recently named SJHL Player of the Week. He recorded eight points in three games last week, and could be peaking at the right time for hte Stars. Tatchell really upped his game for the post-season last year, and now he is a year older and a year wiser, and I'm sure he expects the same type of performance this year.
Who's on D:
Woody Klassen and Cody Folstad will be two key d-men this series. Both are likely to see plenty of minutes against the top trio of Flin Flon. If they let them shoot, and don't do their part to block shots and take away traffic, it could be a long night for Flin Flon.
Who's in Goal:
Nothing confirmed as of yet, but given the fact that Hildebrand lost Tuesday in Kindersley, Kyle Birch seems like the likely candidate.
X-Factor:
The collective defense as a whole needs to rise up and be an X-Factor. The ultimate key for the defense is to keep it simple. The last thing the Stars need to do is to get 'cute' with the puck in their own zone. If the D can do their part, and eliminate the front of the net from some physicality, they should be in great shape to take game one.
Tonight's game goes at 7:30 from the Civic Center. If you want to listen online, you can listen on CJNB/CJNS or on www.cjnb.com
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10 comments:
Go Stars Go...
Go bombers go
Can anyone tell me what actually happened to Korchinski mid-first period?
korchinski got highsticked by oak. oak got 4 min because korchinski was bleeding, from my view look like a broken nose.
From my view looked like a dirty hit. Oak is a chicken , where is he when Bernard is on ice. Hopefully reffing is neutral tonight and a penalty on one side of ice is also a penalty on the other side.
dan u were right it came down to power play and the refs lopsided in favor of battleford no such thing as letting the boys play hockey. Getting sick of the way the way anything can be done to bombers goalie and bombers can't even seem to take a look at stars goalie and bombers end up with a penalty. refs must of got scared when bombers got up 2 1 decided they better control the show.
oak a chicken hmmmmm apparently you missed the ass kicken he gave bernard in flon. he proved his point and dont need to no more its playoffs time to play hockey not goon it up bernard should be suspended for leaving the bench during a fight but the refs give him a ten min misconduct consider that a favor. saying oaks hit on korchinski was dirty i guess the ref agreed give him a 4 min penalty. as far as snowing musico yup tatchell did but mah did not get the penalty till the next rush up ice and tatchell did not snow him but mah figured he should check him to the ice after the whistle went so he got a penalty very undisciplined, that was after the ref warned him to leave it alone he didnt tatchell was no were near musico to spray him that time and for the most part a very well reffed game. flin flon was very undisciplined and maybe more penalties should have been called both ways but the penalties called on both teams were deserved. playoff hockey u have to be playing disciplined and flon wasn't before it got out of hand smith went and warned reagan apparently did not listen. i have seen how bad it can get so yeah last night was a well reffed game. sorry the flon fans fell otherwise. musico got snowed once and birch got slashed about 10 times how u figure they picking on the bombers , heres a thought tell them to be disciplined and maybe they wont get as many penalties, just a thought. flon had 6 pp and no goals the stars had that problem all season could have been in more games if the pp worked but never, thats just the way it goes. should be a dandy tonight GO STARS GO!!!!!!!!
Hey Mongo, just wondering, are you semi-retarded?
nope not even close but i know you are a full retard since you hide behind annoymous..........coward!!!!!!
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