A pair of teams who are no strangers to winning face off for the right to be called ‘Best in the West’ as the Battlefords North Stars and Portage Terriers meet in the ANAVET Cup.

The North Stars were crowned SJHL champions for the second time in three years, while the Terriers – who won the national championship in 2015 (and will host the NJAC next year) – claimed their fourth MJHL title in five seasons.

Both teams had to go the distance to get out of their leagues, at either end of their playoff runs – Battlefords needed seven games to eliminate Flin Flon after taking a 3-0 series lead in their SJHL quarter-final, while the Terriers were stretched to overtime in Game 7 by Swan Valley in the MJHL final. The teams have met once before; the Terriers downed the North Stars 5-3 in preliminary-round play at the now-defunct Western Canada Cup in 2017.

RECENT CHAMPIONS (NJAC FINISH)
2018 – Steinbach Pistons (fifth place)
2012 – Portage Terriers (fifth place)
2011 – Portage Terriers (fifth place)
2010 – La Ronge Ice Wolves (fourth place)
2009 – Humboldt Broncos (second place)

BATTLEFORDS NORTH STARS
SJHL CHAMPIONS

Regular season record: 35-13-10 (2nd in SJHL)
Goals for: 213 (4th in SJHL)
Goals against: 169 (3rd in SJHL)
Power play: 43 for 227 (18.9% – 6th in SJHL)
Penalty killing: 221 of 256 (86.3% – 2nd in SJHL)
Leading scorer: Macgregor Sinclair (27G 45A 72P – 6th in SJHL)

Playoff record: 12-4
Goals for: 54
Goals against: 30
Power play: 13 for 53 (24.5%)
Penalty killing: 47 of 53 (88.7%)
Leading scorer: Quintin Loon-Stewardson (10G 9A 19P)

ROAD TO THE ANAVET CUP
Quarter-final: defeated Flin Flon 4-3 (3-0, 2-1 OT, 3-2, 1-2 OT, 3-4 OT3, 4-6, 4-1)
Semifinal: defeated Yorkton 4-0 (6-2, 1-0 OT, 1-0, 3-0)
SJHL championship: defeated Melfort 4-1 (6-2, 0-1, 4-2, 6-5 OT, 7-2)

Last national championship appearance: 2000 (fourth place)
Total national championship appearances: 1 (2000)

PORTAGE TERRIERS
MJHL CHAMPIONS

Regular season record: 46-11-3 (1st in MJHL)
Goals for: 277 (1st in MJHL)
Goals against: 150 (2nd in MJHL)
Power play: 71 for 284 (25.0% – 1st in MJHL)
Penalty killing: 217 of 258 (84.1% – 5th in MJHL)
Leading scorer: Joey Moffatt (26G 30A 56P – 9th in MJHL)

Playoff record: 12-3
Goals for: 61
Goals against: 39
Power play: 14 for 66 (21.2%)
Penalty killing: 54 of 68 (79.4%)
Leading scorer: Chase Brakel (8G 14A 22P)

ROAD TO THE ANAVET CUP
Quarter-final: defeated Waywayseecappo 4-0 (4-1, 3-1, 8-5, 5-2)
Semifinal: defeated Virden 4-0 (4-1, 5-2, 3-2 OT, 5-2)
MJHL championship: defeated Swan Valley 4-3 (3-0, 5-6 OT, 3-2, 2-7, 3-4 3OT, 5-2, 3-2 OT)

Last national championship appearance: 2015 (national champions)
Total national championship appearances: 5 (1973, 2005, 2011, 2012, 2015)