For many players the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League was a springboard to other hockey opportunities at the professional, university and college level. While that route wasn't for everyone, three former Battlefords North Stars have found a comfortable spot on a senior hockey roster and had an amazing 2010-11 season.
The Dewberry Mustangs played in the SaskAlta Senior Hockey League and the three former North Stars were major contributors to the Mustangs winning their fourth league title and capturing provincial gold.
Kurt Bensmiller, Shayne Cusask and Tyson Knight are the three Battlefords alumni players with the Mustangs and to cap off the season, Bensmiller and Cusack were also recruited to play in the Allan Cup with the Bentley Generals. The Allan Cup, the national senior AAA championship has been a part of Canada's hockey history since 1909.
Bensmiller, a former North Stars captain who now wears the C for the Mustangs, had 20 goals and 26 assists with 252 penalty minutes in 50 games in his final year (2003-04) in the Battlefords. This season, he led the Mustangs in points with 43 and penalty minutes with 69 and was third in the league in points.
Bensmiller was invited to play in his third Allan Cup with the Bentley Generals. After winning with the Generals in 2009, and finishing second at the 2010 Allan Cup in Fort St. John, B.C., Bensmiller and the Generals held on to a second place finish while he recorded a goal and an assist in four games. Bentley has finished second in three of the past four Allan Cups.
Cusask played only nine regular season games with the Mustangs, but turned things up in the playoffs and was named the SaskAlta playoff MVP after recording seven points in nine games. He was also a key contributor at the provincial tournament in Provost, Alta. in early April.
Like Bensmiller, Cusack also travelled to Kenora, Ont. for the Allan Cup. In his first Allan Cup appearance, Cusack played two of the Generals' four games including the 7-2 semi final win over Fort Frances and the 5-3-championship loss to the Clarenville Caribous.
In three injury-shortened seasons with the North Stars, Cusack had 45 goals and 64 assists in 139 games while playing from 2004 to 2007.
Knight played just 58 games with the North Stars, 56 during the 2003-04 season, and had four goals and 10 career SJHL points before finding a home with the Mustangs. Knight, the born and raised North Battleford product, had 16 points in nine playoff games this year, second to only Bensmiller for the team lead. He led the Mustangs in goals during the regular season with 18 and was second in points with 28 in 15 games.
