Stars - Klippers Preview.

The Battlefords North Stars search for their fourth consecutive victory tonight when they welcome Rockie Zinger and the Kindersley Klippers to town. Neither team can move up or down in the standings, so on the surface it's a 'nothing' game. Yeah right. These two teams always seem to bring out the best in each other. It's no secret that these teams don't like each other, and the rivalry alone will make these last two games worth while from a fan's perspective.

KINDERSLEY KLIPPERS

Record: 33-20-3-0

Overview:

The Kindersley Klippers are 6-3-1-0 in their last 10 games and have solidified second place in the Sherwood Conference standings. The Klippers are a legit contender for the SJHL's Credit Union Cup, and have had strong success against the Battlefords this season winning four of the five meetings so far this season.

Who's Up Front:

The trio of Andrew Dommett, John Calkins and Braedon Adamyk are as good as it gets in the SJHL. These three have represented the Klippers well for the past three seasons, and this year has been no exception. Calkins leads the pack with 90 points, Adamyk follows with 76, and Andrew Dommett has 43. Bear in mind that Dommett missed significant time with injury earlier this season. When these three are clicking, they are very difficult to stop.

Who's on D:

Offensively the Klippers are led by 20-year-old d-man Kurt Leedahl. Leedahl has tallied seven goals and 31 points so far this season, and logs a fair chunk of ice-time on the back-end. Other weapons on Kindersley's defensive-core include: Sean Flanagan (29 points) and Jonothan Sonntag (19 points, and 150 PIMS).

Who's in Goal:

Sean Cahill is the undisputed number one goaltender for Kindersley. He heads into tonight's game with a record of 16-8-0-1 and has a 3.01 GAA and a save percentage of .906. His backup is Justin McDonald who is 5-6 with a goals against of 3.13 and a save percentage of .889. With two games remaining, perhaps it's likely that both will get a start down the stretch.

X-Factor:

The now healthy Spencer Braaten was always a thorn in the side of the Battlefords North Stars while playing for Humboldt, and now he is a Kindersley Klipper. Braaten has 33 points in 34 games this season, and is as dangerous as anybody when he wants to be.

BATTLEFORDS NORTH STARS

Record: 26-27-2-1

Overview:

Tonight the Battlefords North Stars try to match their longest winning streak of the season as they seek their fourth in a row. The Stars are coming off a 6-4 win Wednesday in Nipawin. The Stars will finish fourth in the Bauer Conference standings, and will host Flin Flon in the Bauer Conference Survivor Series.

Who's Up Front:

Cole Gibson is off to a great start this week. The 20-year-old forward has scored five goals in two games this week, and could be poised for another big night alongside Blake Tatchell and Colin Phaneuf.

Who's on D:

It will be important for the North Star's defense as a whole to come up big tonight. Cris Neurauter played really well in Nipawin alongside his new partner Dillon Forbes. Heading into the post-season these are two defenceman that will be looked upon to make a solid impact for the Stars. Forbes has fit right in to the Star's blueline, and a lot of credit goes to Neurauter for providing some solid leadership on the
back-end.

Who's in Goal:

Kyle Birch likely gets the call tonight given the fact that he has won his last three starts. Birch now holds a record of 15-13 and has a goals against average of 3.98 and a save percentage of .889. Graham Hildebrand could also draw in. He is 8-14 with a 4.32 Goals Against and a save percentage of .883.

X-Factor:

The trio of Mitch Galbraith, Tim Rollins and Tanner Schwab have not been wowing anybody with their statistics, but these three have found some good chemistry playing alongside each other. Rollins scored his 10th of the year earlier this week against Flin Flon, and Galbraith put the game away Wednesday in Nipawin. If these three can find the score-sheet and stay responsible defensively, the Stars will be in good shape.

Tonight's game goes at 7:30. You can hear the call live on CJNB/CJNS starting at 7:15.