The Battlefords North Stars celebrate on ice, hoisting the Canterra Seeds Cup as SJHL champions. (Martin Martinson/battlefordsNOW Staff)

By Martin Martinson

Canterra Seeds Cup champs

North Stars take SJHL Championship with Game 4 win

Apr 24, 2023 | 10:49 AM

The Battlefords North Stars capped a fairytale season for the ages Saturday night in Flin Flon, taking home a 7-4 victory in Game 4 of the SJHL Finals, to sweep their best-of-seven series with the rival Flin Flon Bombers, and clinch the 2023 SJHL Championship.

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

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

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All total, the run was among the most dominant in league history, as the team won 12 straight playoff games and 12 of 13 total this post-season, on their way on their way to being crowned champs.

North Stars teammates celebrate with pure jubilation after winning the Canterra Seeds Cup Championship. (Martin Martinson/battlefordsNOW Staff)

A 3-2 North Stars lead at the end of the first period, and 5-2 lead after two; in the third the Stars would add two more to close the series and cap the championship run with a 7-4 Game 4 final.

Steven Kesslering, who scored a pair in the win was named SJHL Playoff MVP, finishing the post-season with 14 goals and 18 points in 13 games, including at least a single goal in nine of the 13 games.

Steven Kesslering capped off his 20-year-old season with Playoff MVP honours leading the team to the SJHL Championship. (Martin Martinson/battlefordsNOW Staff)

Jordan Grill scored a pair of goals in the Game 4 victory as well, while Holden Doell, and Colby Bear added a single each, and Josh Kotai shut the door with 45 saves on 49 Bombers’ shots.

The championship serves as the North Stars’ first since 2019, and third since defeating Flin Flon four-straight in the 2017 Finals as well.

With the league championship, the North Stars will now advance to the Centennial Cup in Portage, MB, to compete for a national championship.

Stay tuned to battlefordsNOW for further breakdown on the North Stars’ championship run, over the next week, and a look ahead to the nationals schedule to come.

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Martin.Martinson@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @MartyMartyPxP1