Stars' goalie Joel Grzybowski, pictured here shaking hands with Bombers' forward Brandson Hein at the conclusion of two teams' seven-game series. Grzybowski kept Hein and the Bombers' offence to two goals or fewer in five of the seven games. (Martin Martinson/battlefordsNOW Staff)

By Martin Martinson

Stars shoot on to Round 2

Stars punch ticket to Round 2 with Game 7 win over Bombers

Mar 27, 2019 | 12:53 AM

The Battlefords North Stars defeated the Flin Flon Bombers 4-1 Tuesday night at the NB Civic Centre to wrap up their first-round playoff series in Game 7, and punch their ticket to the second round.

Stars’ forward Brett Gammer opened the scoring for the home-side just over five minutes into the first period, scoring off a shot from the mid-slot area following some nice passing by his linemates, Matthias Urbanski and Owen Lamb to find the open man for the shot, and make it 1-0.

For Gammer, the goal marked his second of the postseason, and second in two games.

Seth Summers made it 2-0 later in the period, when the defenseman followed Gammer’s lead and scored his second career playoff goal and second in two games as well.

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Summers’ goal, coming off a shot from the point following feverish pressure by the North Stars’ attack, served as the sixth time since Game 3 the Battlefords have received a goal from their blue line, ultimately a difference-maker in the series.

Then, with time running out in the first, and the Stars looking as though they would head to the intermission with a two-goal lead, one of the veterans on the team’s roster threw his hat in the ring as well. Braydon Buziak walked in on goal to score his third of the series with just under two minutes to go in the frame, to cap the period on a high-note at 3-0 Battlefords.

The Stars took their 3-0 lead into the second period, and after a scoreless second, carried it into the third as well, before adding another, this time from Quintin Loon-Stewardson.

The third rookie to score on the night, Loon-Stewardson’s 4-0 goal marked his third of the playoffs, and third point of the night, giving him a team-leading 10 points through the series.

Stars’ rookie Quintin Loon-Stewardson has made the most of his first SJHL postseason appearance so far, leading his team in scoring through their seven game triumph over the Flin Flon Bombers with 10 points in the seven games, including a three-point performance Tuesday in the deciding game. (Martin Martinson/battlefordsNOW Staff)

Bombers’ forward, Daylan Marchi, who was coming off a four-point outing in Game 6, would score late to get his team on the board, but ultimately, it was too little, too late for Flin Flon, 4-1 Stars the final.

North Stars’ goalie, Joel Grzybowski stopped 39 of the 40 shots he faced in the win to lead his team to Round 2.

Gabriel Waked in the Bombers’ goal, stopped 31/35 on the night.

With the series win, the Stars will now move on to Round 2 to play the Yortkon Terriers, who also won their quarterfinal series matchup in Game 7 Tuesday, beating the top-seeded Nipawin Hawks in upset fashion, 4-3 the final in the seventh game.

Scoring summary

First period:

5:03 BAT Brett Gammer (2) ASST: Matthias Urbanski (1), Owen Lamb (3)

15:33 BAT Seth Summers (2) ASST: Quintin Loon-Stewardson (6)

18:16 BAT Braydon Buziak (3) ASST: Quintin Loon-Stewardson (7)

Second period:

No scoring

Third period:

11:17 BAT Quintin Loon-Stewardson (3) ASST: Cody Spagrud (1), Braydon Buziak (2)

13:55 FF Daylan Marchi (3) ASST: Matt Flodell (2), Alec Cokley (1)

4-1 North Stars, the Final.

–

Martin.Martinson@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: MartyMartyPxP1