North Stars' forward Owen Lamb picked up another two goals Tuesday to give the forward 30 on the season. Lamb has now scored 11 goals over his last 11 games heading into the playoffs. (Martin Martinson/battlefordsNOW Staff) : Martin Martinson

By Martin Martinson

Stars clinch tops in division

North Stars clinch division with thrilling OT win

Mar 6, 2019 | 9:02 AM

The Battlefords North Stars locked up first place in the Global Ag. Risk Solutions Division in thrilling fashion Tuesday with a 4-3 overtime win at the NB Civic Centre.

Braydon Buziak, who was born and raised in Kindersley prior to moving to the Battlefords, fittingly played the hero on the night, while Buziak’s linemate, Owen Lamb deposited another two goals on the night.

Lamb’s pair of markers helped the forward to hit the 30-goal plateau for the first time, achieving yet another statistical milestone.

Lamb’s first of the game opened the scoring just about three-and-a-half minutes in, with his 29th of the season from Bryadon Buziak and MacGregor Sinclair. Fielding a pass in front of the net, the puck skipped off the heel of his skate and into the Kindersley goal. While not the prettiest of his 29, Lamb’s opener was once again a big goal for his team.

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Lamb’s tally also served as the lone goal for either side through the first period of play; 1-0 North Stars at the end of the first.

Much like the opening period, the second also saw just a single goal, as Kindersley’s Steven Avalone scored his second of the season on a slapper from the high-slot to knot things up, 2-2.

In the third, after a scoreless first seven-and-a-half minutes, Noah Bankowski notched his 14th of the year to give Kindersley their first lead of the hockey game.

Rather than push the panic button, the North Stars, as they have done so often this season, stayed calm. Only gaining determination from the adversity handed their way, it was once again the North Stars’ top line who would come through with a huge goal, and once again, it was Owen Lamb, the man to answer the bell.

Potting his second of the game and 30^th of the season just 10 seconds after Kindersley’s Bankowski goal, Lamb put his team back on even footing with just over seven minutes to go in the third, 3-3.

Then, still riding high, the Stars came out again to score another one, this time off the blade of Regan Doig. Doig’s seventh of the season served as the fourth goal over the last six games scored by the team’s fourth line.

Even more importantly, Doig’s marker reestablished his team’s lead at 4-3.

Of course, it wouldn’t take long for the lead to once again evaporate, this time with Kindersley hometown product, Kyle Bosch hitting a milestone of his own, notching his 20th of the campaign with just 5:25 to go in regulation time.

As if going down to the final game of the year wasn’t dramatic enough, it would now be left to sudden death overtime to decide who clinches top spot in the division.

In the extra frame, after a couple of offensive forays going either way, Stars’ captain, Cody Spagrud would pick up the puck and head away on the rush.

Over the attacking blue line and into the zone down the right-wing side as a right hand shot, Spagrud then, at just the right moment, threaded a pass across the ice to a hard-charging Buziak, who was making a beeline for the Klippers’ goalmouth.

Upon reciving the defenseman’s pass, Buziak then quickly pulled the puck from forehand to backhand, while also reaching around the hopeless goalie to tuck the puck home on a gorgeous deke move.

After scoring the goal, Buziak was instantly swarmed by jubilating teammates along to a chorus of hysterical home crowd fans, celebrating the most welcome way to cap off another regular season.

Stars’ goaltender, Joel Grzybowski stopped 28 of the 31 shots he faced in the win, standing tall for his team throughout the contest in what was, for the first two periods in particular, a goaltenders’ dual with Kindersley’s Justen Close who stopped 28 of 32 shots.

Grzybowski’s win was his 24th of the season, ranking second amongst all goaltenders this season. The 19-year-old known as “Gryz,” has now won six of his last seven starts heading into the playoffs.

The North Stars will kick off their postseason next week against the #1 wildcard (top seeded team) after the survivor series is played.

The Wildcard matchups are as follows:

7) Flin Flon vs. 10) Weyburn

8) Yorkton vs. 9) Notre Dame

Scoring summary

First period:

16:32 BAT Owen Lamb (29) ASST: Braydon Buziak (31), MacGregor Sinclair (44)

Second period:

4:49 KIN Steven Avalone (2) ASST: Ty Enns (34), Brendon Borbely (11)

Third period:

12:30 KIN Noah Bankowski (14) ASST: Brendon Borbely (12), Blake Kleiner (22)

12:40 BAT Owen Lamb (30) ASST: Braydon Buziak (32), Noah Form (11)

14:35 KIN Kyle Bosch (20) ASST: Tate Page (6)

Overtime:

3:02 BAT Braydon Buziak (20) ASST: Cody Spagrud (32), MacGregor Sinclair (45)

4-3 North Stars, the Final.

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Martin.Martinson@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: MartyMartyPxP1