Stars fall just short of comeback in Melfort

Melfort defenseman Kayle Tosh would make it 2-0 later in the first, cashing in on his eighth of the season and 52nd point of the season, to lead all defenseman at the 12:58 mark of the first.

Then, with just under three minutes remaining prior to the first intermission, the Stars’ would answer back with a power play tally of their own, courtesy of rookie Quintin Loon-Stewardson, snapping home his 11th of the season from the mid slot to make it 2-1.

The Stars held the shot advantage, 11-10 at the conclusion of the opening period.

In the second, Carson Albrecht would again capitalize, posting his second of the game to hit the 30-goal plateau. Albrecht’s marker also re-established his team’s two-goal lead.

Despite outshooting the Mustangs 16-5 the middle period, Albrecht’s tally would be the only of the frame; 3-1 Mustangs heading into the third.

Trailing by a pair heading into the final regulation time period, the North Stars got to work early in the third, storming out of the gate coming off the second intermission.

After MacGregor Sinclair scored his team-leading 25th of the year on a textbook wrister finding paydirt to pull his team back within one, it would be another of the veterans wearing the visitors’ grey and black to knot things up at 3’s.

Owen Lamb, who entered play as hot as any player in the league, having put up 12 points over his last five games, remained scorching hot, registering his fourth goal in his last three games, and 24th of the season to make it 3-3.

After five minutes of 3-on-3 overtime solved nothing, the teams would head to the shootout.

Shooting first as the home team, Melfort turned to Justin Ball to give them the early advantage. Throwing all kinds of head-fakes and stickhandles, Ball would manage to do just that, scoring on a nifty deke to turn the pressure on the Stars right off the bat.

After the next three shooters were stopped consecutively, that left the game on the stick of George King, the red-hot Mustangs’ forward with eight goals through his first 12 games with the team since being acquired from Dauphin of the MJHL.

Cutting in on goal with speed, and ripping a quick shot home far side, King would make no mistake, throwing the hometown crowd into hysterics and his teammates on the bench alike, potting the shootout winner for his team at Northern Lights Palace; 4-3 the final.

Mustangs’ goalie, Noah Giesbrecht stopped 37 of the 40 shots sent his way, while Stars’ goaltender, Joel Grzybowski stopped 24 of 27 shots against.

The North Stars will now get some time to rest up and regroup before heading back on the road next weekend with three-games in three-nights on their Southern Saskatchewan road swing that will begin Friday against the Weyburn Red Wings at Cresent Point Place in Weyburn.

Ultra-Print Pregame Show will begin Friday at 7:15 p.m. with puck drop to follow at 7:30 p.m. on the Napa North Stars Hockey Broadcast.

Scoring summary

First period:

4:58 MLF Carson Albrecht (29) ASST: Tanner Zentner (39), George King (8) (PP)

12:58 MLF Kayle Tosh (8) ASST: Tanner Zentner (40), Carson Albrecht (47)

17:16 BAT Quintin Loon-Stewardson (11) ASST: Elijah Loon-Stewardson (19), Ryan Gil (18) (PP)

Second period:

12:11 MLF Carson Albrecht (30) ASST: None

Third period:

2:30 BAT MacGregor Sinclair (25) ASST: Cody Spagrud (29), Braydon Buziak (26)

9:59 BAT Owen Lamb (24) ASST: Ryan Gil (19), Noah Form (7)

Shootout:

Justin Ball – No goal

Elijah Loon-Stewardson – No goal

Colin Schmidt – No goal

Braydon Buziak – No goal

George King – Goal *(Shootout winner)

4-3 Mustangs, the Final.

–

Martin.Martinson@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: MartyMartyPxP1

by Martin Martinson

Stars fall just short of comeback in Melfort

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