GAME NOTES - MILS @ NORTH STARS ON GX94

Mils: 21-16-2-4, 48 pts, 4th in Sherwood (.558%)
Stars: 32-11-0-2, 66 pts, 2nd in Bauer (.733%)

- Two teams who made a big trade on November 7th will go head to head for the third time this season. Roger Tagoona and the North Stars are 2-0 against Blake Voth and the Millionaires this season, while the Mils did manage an OT loss last time they were here. Voth played in the game at home, a 5-2 loss, while Tagoona has been held off the scoresheet in both head to head meetings. That aside, Tagoona and Voth have put up very impressive numbers for their new teams. Voth is 11-6-1, 2.86 GAA, .922%, 1 SO. Tagoona has 14 points (6g-8a) in 25 games for the Stars.

- Tonight's game starts off an unheard of stretch of 11 games in 17 night for the Millionaires, 7 of which are on the road. The Mils are in Battleford tonight, Kindersley tomorrow, Melfort Friday, and home to Kindersley on Saturday. They play 4 games in 5 nights, 3 weeks in a row.

- Unfortunately, they won't have their 'A' lineup. Sean Aschim won't play on this trip and is expected to miss all their action this week. After that, they're not sure.

- There's no question this is a huge part of Melville's schedule. They've got 5 games in hand on the Estevan Bruins, who they trail by one point for a top three spot. The Bruins play just once between now and Saturday, when they Mils play four times. If they can't pass them by this weekend, then they're making life very difficult on themselves.

- Four games are held in the SJHL between tonight and tomorrow night. They all involve the Mils and Terriers being on the road. Melville @ Battleford & Yorkton @ Nipawin Tuesday... Melville @ Kindersley & Yorkton @ Flin Flon Wednesday. Estevan's idle until hosting Nipawin on Friday.

- After making the Tagoona/Voth and Owen/Rakochy for Trudeau deals, the Millionaires immediately went on an 8-0-1 run. They followed that by losing their next 6, and have gone 7-4-1 since. They've won 2 of their last 5 (2-2-0-1), as they're still not quite over the hump.

- The North Stars followed a 13 game winning streak, and a stretch of 22-1-0-1 in 24 games, by losing four straight. They're 4-6 since that 13 gamer, and have won their last two over La Ronge and Melfort.

- UGH... faulty internet cord at the Gold Eagle... had a bunch more typed up and it didn't save because I 'wasn't connected.'

- Biggest stat to point out: The North Stars are 16-1-0-1 against the Sherwood Conference, with that one loss coming on opening night against Kindersley (The SO loss was on home ice against Yorkton). The Mils have played well against the strong Bauer Conference. They're the only team other than Weyburn to go above .500 against Northern opponents (7-5-1-2). Yorkton's even .500 at 8-8-1-1.