Stars’ forward Quintin Loon-Stewardson, pictured here facing off with Melfort’s Tanner Zentner, scored his team-leading seventh goal of the playoffs while adding an assist as well, to give the Sioux Lookout, ON., product 15 points this postseason. Loon-Stewardson now sits just one back of the league lead. (Martin Martinson/battlefordsNOW Staff)

By Martin Martinson

Same time, same place

Stars look for repeat performance in Game 2 vs. Mustangs

Apr 13, 2019 | 2:00 PM

Coming off a 6-2 victory in Game one of the Canalta Cup Final Friday, the Battlefords North Stars return to action tonight for Game two against the Mustangs, once again at the Civic Centre.

Six different players scored for the North Stars in Friday’s victory, as the contest marked the second time this postseason the Stars have had six different goal-scorers contribute in a given night. The Battlefords also turned the trick in the opening game of the semifinals, a 6-2 win against the Yorkton Terriers on Mar. 29.

No doubt the biggest boon for the team on the evening, looking forward, was the tally by Owen Lamb, who scored his first of the playoffs in the third period. Lamb led the Stars in goals through the regular season as the only player on the team to hit the 30-goal plateau.

Stars’ assistant coach, Rob Holoien said watching Lamb finally get rewarded with a goal for his efforts was an instant boost to moral on the team’s bench.

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“It was nice to see Owen [Lamb] score his first of the playoffs,” Holoien said. “That’s a big monkey off his back and yeah, he had a big smile when he came back to the bench after that one.”

In addition to scoring the goal, Lamb also picked up two assists on the evening, while each of his linemates, MacGregor Sinclair and Ryan Gil notched a goal in multi-point performances of their own.

Together, the Lamb, Sinclair, Gil trio combined for seven points total on the night. With the line breaking out so early in the series, it will be interesting to see who the Mustangs choose to deploy their checking unit of Zack Smith, Tyson Meyers, and Zach Anderson against – the Sinclair line, or the Loon-Stewardson’s with Braydon Buziak.

Defensively, the Stars limited the Melfort big line of Justin Ball, Tanner Zentner and Carson Albrecht to very little, as far as open opportunities are concerned.

Continuing to clog up the middle of the ice in a group effort, the dual tandems of Cody Spagrud with Noah Form and Matthew Fletcher alongside Seth Summers, appeared to be right on top of the skilled forwards each time they touched the puck or appeared to get even the slightest bit of room to maneuver.

Laying on the body whenever possible, the North Stars will aim to continue to impose their will physically on the Mustangs’ top line, which has scored 19 of their team’s 37 goals these playoffs, with the trio providing over 51 per cent of their team’s goals.

Between the pipes, Stars’ goalie, Joel Grzybowski stopped 33 of 35 Melfort shots in Game 1, as the 19-year-old allowed his first two goals over his last four games, again picking up first star honours to begin the Finals series.

Grzybowski leads all goaltenders with nine wins, a 1.44 goals-against average, and .958 save percentage.

Melfort’s Noah Giesbrecht, who allowed five goals against on 37 shots Friday, was superb in his own right for much of the game, keeping his team in it until late in the third period.

Giesbrecht’s .865 save percentage in Game one is just the second time the 19-year-old has posted a sub-.921 save percentage in a game this postseason.

The Ultra Print Pregame Show for Game 2, tonight will begin at 7 p.m. with puck drop at 7:30 p.m. on 1050 CJNB. Marty Martinson will have the call on the action.

Series schedule:

April 12 -> Game 1 -> 6-2 North Stars, the Final

April 13 -> Game 2 @ NB Civic Centre

April 16 -> Game 3 @ Northern Lights Palace

April 17 -> Game 4 @ Northern Lights Palace

April 19 -> Game 5 @ NB Civic Centre*

April 21 -> Game 6 @ Northern Lights Palace*

April 23 -> Game 7 @ NB Civic Centre*

*indicates if necessary

Pregame begins at 7 p.m. with puck drop at 7:30 p.m. for each game of the series on NAPA North Stars Hockey on 1050 CJNB.

–

Martin.Martinson@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: MartyMartyPxP1