With their win Wednesday night, the Stars now hold a 3-1 series lead heading into Game 5 Friday, with a chance to claim the Canalta Cup on home ice. (Martin Martinson/battlefordsNOW Staff)

By Martin Martinson

One win away

Stars deliver in OT to move single win away from league championship

Apr 18, 2019 | 12:33 AM

The Battlefords North Stars defeated the Melfort Mustangs 6-5 in thrilling overtime fashion Wednesday, to take a 3-1 lead in the teams’ best-of-seven Canalta Cup Final series with the Melfort Mustangs. Rookie forward Kaden Boser scored the deciding goal in the victory for his second OT goal of the postseason.

The win sets up an opportunity, as the series shifts back to the Civic Centre for Game 5, to take the league championship in front of the hometown crowd.

Mustangs’ forward Carson Albrecht opened the scoring Wednesday just 4:12 into the first period, notching his first of the game and league-leading 11^th of the playoffs to make it 1-0 Melfort on home ice.

Albrecht’s goal served as the forward’s first of the series, coming off a wrist shot on the fly, while blazing into the zone on the attack, to put his team ahead early.

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Melfort’s lead, however, would be short lived, as Elijah Loon-Stewardson would respond with his first of the series, and third of the playoffs just 37 seconds later to tie the game, and put his team back on even footing, 1-1 the score.

Before the end of the first, the Stars scored again, this time courtesy of Braydon Buziak, who notched his sixth of the playoffs, deflecting a MacGregor Sinclair shot from high in the zone on the power play. Buziak’s goal reversed the lead entirely, this time in favor of the Battlefords, at 2-1 North Stars.

The Stars would take their 2-1 lead to the dressing room, ending the first period ahead on the scoreboard.

In the second, Melfort would again strike early in the period, with forward Tyson Meyers chipping in with his third of the playoffs – and third of the series, to again make it a tie contest, 2-2 early in the middle frame.

Remaining tied until just-passed the half-way mark of the period, Tanner Zentner got on the board with his fourth of the playoffs from Justin Ball and Carson Albrecht to put the home side back in front at 3-2, 10:57 into the period.

Much like Melfort’s first lead of the game, though, this one would again be short-lived, as Elijah Loon-Stewardson was once again the man to pull his team even, scoring his second of the game, and fourth of the playoffs to make it 3-3.

Then, with just four minutes to go on the clock, prior to the first intermission, Stars’ defenseman, Ryan Granville fired home his first of the playoffs from the blue line position, becoming the seventh different Stars’ defenseman to score a goal on the team’s postseason run.

At 5-3, the North Stars took their two-goal lead into the second intermission, having outshot the Mustangs 27-26 through 40 minutes.

In the third, for the third-period in a row, the Mustangs came out with an early tally, this time courtesy of forward, Colin Schmidt. Schmidt, who cashed in on his fifth just 47 seconds into the final regulation frame, got his team back to within one, with essentially still a whole period remaining.

At now 5-4, it wouldn’t take long for Albrecht to pot his second of the game, converting his 12^th of the playoffs just under two minutes after Schmidt’s fifth, to draw his team even, still early in the period.

After neither team was able to break through again in the third, and tied 5-5 at the end of 60 minutes, the Stars and Mustangs were destined for their first overtime contest of the series.

Coming out flying in the extra frame, no doubt looking for an early-period marker of their own, the North Stars’ hard work paid off just 8:31 into the sudden-death period, as Saskatoon product, Kaden Boser notched his third goal, and third game-winner – of the playoffs, to decide the fate in his team’s favor, 6-5 the final.

Stars’ goaltender, Joel Grzybowski stopped 36 of the 41 shots sent his way in the victory, while Melfort’s Noah Giesbrecht made 37 saves on 43 shots.

The series will now shift back to the Battlefords for Game 5 Friday night, giving the North Stars a chance to win the league championship on home ice at the Civic Centre. The Ultra Print Pregame Show will begin at 7 p.m. with puck drop at 7:30 p.m. on NAPA North Stars Hockey on 1050 CJNB.

Scoring summary

First period:

4:12 MLF Carson Albrecht (11) ASST: Kayle Tosh (10)

4:49 BAT Elijah Loon-Stewardson (3) ASST: Braydon Buziak (9)

9:47 BAT Braydon Buziak (6) ASST: MacGregor Sinclair (5), Austin Becker (4) (PP)

Second period:

2:37 MLF Tyson Meyers (3) ASST: Alex Rondeau (2), Jake Hobson (5)

10:57 MLF Tanner Zentner (4) ASST: Justin Ball (12), Carson Albrecht (7)

12:16 BAT Elijah Loon-Stewardson (4) ASST: Cody Spagrud (5), Braydon Buziak (10)

16:00 BAT Ryan Granville (1) ASST: Owen Lamb (9), Brett Gammer (4)

19:07 BAT Owen Lamb (2) ASST: Brett Gammer (5), MacGregor Sinclair (6) (PP)

Third period:

0:47 MLF Colin Schmidt (5) ASST: Carson Albrecht (8), Tanner Zentner (6) (PP)

2:34 MLF Carson Albrecht (12) ASST: Justin Ball (13)

Overtime:

BAT Kaden Boser ASST: Matthew Fletcher (6)

6-5 North Stars, the Final.

–

Martin.Martinson@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: MartyMartyPxP1