Brad Girard

The Battlefords North Stars are in an unfamiliar and somewhat unexpected position trailing the Estevan Bruins by two games in the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League semi-finals and with the series now heading to Estevan for the next two matches it will take an all-out effort from everyone on the North Stars’ roster to avert a sudden end to their season.

Brad Girard, a diminutive forward from Slave Lake, Alta., has been doing his part for the North Stars averaging a point-per-game (3-3-6) in six post-season tilts, but even more will be needed as the Battlefords have their backs against the wall.

It has been a whirlwind of a season for the 5-foot-5, 170-pound forward as Girard began the year with the Olds Grizzlies of the Alberta Junior Hockey League and after picking up nine points in seven games his rights were sent to the Yorkton Terriers in early October. A month later, without playing a game in Yorkton, Girard was on the move again this time ending up in the Battlefords where he registered 32 points in 40 games.

The 19-year-old Girard began his junior career last season in Olds picking up 10 points in 46 games. That followed two successful seasons with the Leduc Oil Kings of the Alberta Midget AAA Hockey League where Girard amassed a total of 70 points in 67 regular-season games.

Girard has always been able to contribute offensively and that was never more evident than his final season of bantam hockey when he produced 52 goals and 37 assists in just 29 games. His talents, along with that of the rest of his Battlefords’ teammates, will need to move to another level if they hope to defend the league championship they captured a year ago.