North Stars’ veteran, Braydon Buziak, pictured here opposite Mustangs’ winger, Kyle Schneider, has been an offensive catalyst for his team all post-season, scoring the game winner in Tuesday night’s 4-2 victory over the Mustangs at Northern Lights Palace. (Martin Martinson/battlefordsNOW Staff)

By Martin Martinson

Playoff series heating up

Stars aim to take stranglehold on Finals series with Game 4 win

Apr 17, 2019 | 1:06 PM

Coming off a 4-2 victory in Game 3 Tuesday, the Battlefords North Stars return to action tonight at Northern Lights Palace for the fourth installment of their Canalta Cup Final series with the Melfort Mustangs, holding a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven series.

Four different North Stars scored for the team in Tuesday night’s victory, as the group bounced back from being shutout in Game 2, by returning to form with their vastly dangerous offensive attack.

For all the credit the North Stars have received defensively this post-season – and rightfully so –the Battlefords’ offence has also been nothing short of elite.

The club has now scored more goals than any other team in the league these playoffs, with 41 goals through 14 games. Both Melfort and Yorkton, the two highest scoring teams from the regular season, have played 14 games as well, scoring 40 and 31 goals, respectively.

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The North Stars have seen a league-high 17 different players chip in to produce at least a single goal thus far on their playoff run, with contributions coming from rookies and veterans alike throughout the lineup.

This depth of offence was on full-display last night, as four different goal scorers etched their names in the scorecard, including Austin Becker, Regan Doig, Braydon Buziak, and Quintin Loon-Stewardson. That is scoring contribution from two veterans and two rookies, off of three different forward lines, chipping in to help lead their team to victory.

Defensively, Game 3 marked the 12^th time in 14 games the Stars have allowed just two goals or fewer on their playoff run so far.

Spearheading the defensive effort, Stars’ goalie, Joel Grzybowski only continues to turn heads with his play, carrying a remarkable 1.45 goals-against average and .958 save percentage into Game 4.

On the other side of things, Melfort’s top line of Justin Ball, Carson Albrecht and Tanner Zentner broke through with their first goal of the series in Game 3, as Ball rifled home his seventh of the playoffs from the high-slot midway through the second period on the power play.

The trio have scored 20 of their team’s 40 goals these playoffs, providing 50 per cent of their team’s offence.

More than anything, for Melfort, the storyline heading into tonight’s Game 4, is going to be about whether or not the team can withstand the physicality put forth by the North Stars. Four prominent members of the Mustangs left Game 3 part-way through the contest, due to the physical onslaught put on by the Battlefords.

Mustangs’ forward George King was injured on the opening shift of the game after taking a heavy collision from all three of Regan Doig, Dayton Heino and Kaden Boser, leaving the game just 27 seconds into the contest, not to return that night.

Rookie Parker Fofonoff, who played just his second game of the series, left the action prematurely as well, after being on the receiving end of a clean, but colossal, open ice hit by Ryan Gil to catch the forward with his head down. Fofonoff also did not return to the game.

Mustangs’ defenceman, Kayle Tosh, who led all blue liners in production this season with 58 points, and has another nine in the playoffs, also was used sparingly throughout the back-half of the game, leading to some questions about his potential availability for Game 4 as well.

Likely the biggest question of all heading into Game 4, however, may just come between the pipes on the Melfort side of things.

Goaltender Shawn Parkinson, who stepped into the series with a shutout victory in Game 2, was injured on a collision with a Stars’ forward at the side of the Mustangs’ goal part-way through the second period of Game 3. Parkinson left the game and did not return.

Finishing out last night’s contest in place of Parkinson, was the Mustangs’ initial starter, Noah Giesbrecht, who carried the load for most of the team’s playoff run so far, starting 10 of his team’s 14 playoff games.

Giesbrecht, who entered the Finals against the North Stars with a .941 save percentage, will be looking to bounce back from a couple of tough outings to start the series, as the 19-year-old allowed five goals on 37 shots in Game 1, prior to stopping just six of eight after coming on in relief of Parkinson in Game 3.

On the series, Giesbrecht has stopped 38 of 45 shots against, giving the netminder a .844 save percentage, after sporting a sub-.900 in just one of his nine games prior, through the opening two rounds of the playoffs.

Game 4 tonight will be played on 1050 CJNB, with the Ultra Print Pregame Show beginning at 7 p.m. and puck drop at 7:30 p.m. on NAPA North Stars Hockey. Marty Martinson will have the call.

Series schedule:

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

April 13 -> Game 2 -> 1-0 Mustangs, the Final

April 16 -> Game 3 -> 4-2 North Stars, the Final

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