Leaves on the ground and 20C weather long behind us means one thing - sports, sports and more sports.
There will be no shortage of games this weekend, the final one of September.
The action kicks off Friday night when the North Battleford Comprehensive High School Vikings are taking on Bedford Road in their fourth game of the season. NBCHS started the season on the right foot with a 14-7 win over Mount Royal, but struggled in the two games since. They lost to Bishop James Mahoney, who hasn't been scored on yet this season, and followed that with a 19-12 loss to Evan Hardy last Friday in their home opener. Bedford Road has been outscored 117-41 this season so it offers the Vikings a good chance to bring their record up to 2-2. Kickoff is set for 6:30 p.m. at Beaver Lions Stadium.
Meanwhile, after dropping their home opener last weekend to Kindersley and Tuesday's game in Melville before winning Wednesday in Yorkton, the Battlefords North Stars are back at the Civic Centre Friday night at 7:30 p.m. The North Stars were ranked fifth in the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League's power rankings after the opening weekend despite being 0-2, which speaks to the team's potential. They'll be taking on Melville as part of a busy week after being in Melville and Yorkton Tuesday and Wednesday. It's still early in the season, but wins are always easier to come by at the front end of the schedule.
It's a bit more of a drive for Battlefords sports fans, but the NHL is back in Saskatoon for the final time Friday night. The Boston Bruins and Winnipeg Jets are each playing their final preseason games so expect closer to a regular season lineup.
The Battlefords Midget Stars drop the puck on their season with back-to-back games against the Regina Pat Canadians Saturday and Sunday. The Stars outscored their opponents 27-5 in three preseason games and hope to ride the hot streak into the regular season at Regina's expense. Both games are 2 p.m. starts at the Civic Centre.
Soon after the Stars' game wraps up Saturday, the Battlefords Bantam Bandits start their regular season. Game time is set for 5:15 p.m. They will look to better the Saskatoon Outlaws who beat the Barons Sunday in a preseason game 7-6.
Out of town, the Battlefords Sharks join the season opener party. They have a pair of games in Melville Saturday and Sunday as they look to get their season off on the right foot. The Sharks lost their only preseason game to the Saskatoon Stars 3-1, but had an abundance of scoring chances. The Melville Fox FM Prairie Fire went 1-1 in their two-game preseason stint.
