Stars’ forward Quintin Loon-Stewardson led the team with 10 goals, 19 points through 16 games of the SJHL playoffs. Eight of those goals came at home at the Civic Centre, where the Anavet Cup series shifts tonight. (Martin Martinson/battlefordsNOW Staff)

By Martin Martinson

Coming home

Stars return home as Anavet Cup series shifts to the Battlefords for Game 3

Apr 30, 2019 | 2:02 PM

The Battlefords North Stars return home tonight for Game 3 of their Anavet Cup series with the Portage Terriers, as the series shifts to the NB Civic Centre for the next three games, to be played Tuesday-through-Thursday.

The Stars earned a split over the first two games of the best-of-seven series held in Portage, winning Game 1 in the final minute on a Ryan Gil tally, coming with just 51 seconds remaining in the third period.

Game 2 saw the hometown Terriers answer back to tie the series after Orca Wiesblatt scored with just 45 seconds to go in regulation to force overtime, setting the stage for forward Kolton Shindle to play the hero late in the first OT.

Terriers’ defenceman Owen Murray has been the key to generating offence through the backend for Portage through the opening two games of the series, as the recently-named, MJHL Rookie of the Year, is coming off a three-assist performance Saturday.

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A key storyline throughout the series thus far has been the one-on-one matchups through the opening two games, as it has not taken long for animosity between the Stars and Terriers to build, thanks largely to a hard-match philosophy dictated by Terriers’ Head Coach Blake Spiller.

Holding home-ice advantage over the opening two games, the Terriers’ ‘shutdown unit’ featuring Ocean Weisblatt at centre, with Kolton Shindle on the left, saw a minor alteration on the right side in the second game.

Winger Braden Billaney, fresh off serving a 16-game suspension for a malicious slash given out against a Waywayyseecappo player in the Terriers’ first round playoff series, replaced youngster Reece Henry as the unit remained glued to the Loon-Stewardson-Buziak connection at even strength.

Quintin Loon-Stewardson and the elder Weisblatt have engaged in dialog several times already, often tying up on the draw and finding one-another in post-whistle scrums, as the pair continue to drive the intensity for their respective sides, and exchange less-than-pleasant pleasantries.

Portage’s top line meanwhile, centered by Terriers’ captain Ty Barnstable, saw an alteration in Game 2 as well, as forward Chase Brakel, who lead the team in scoring during their Turnbull Cup run with 22 points in 15 games. It shifted to the right wing of Barnstable to create an added offensive dynamic within the top line. Brakel began the series centering the team’s third line.

Again, despite the change, the matchup remained the same with Barnstable facing off virtually every shift with the Stars’ MagGregor Sinclair line.

Each of Sinclair, Ryan Gil and Owen Lamb have chipped in with a goal apiece through the opening two games, as the trio have now combined for nine goals, 21 points in the seven games dating back to the opening contest of the Stars’ Canalta Cup Final series with Melfort.

On the backend, Stars’ defencemen Cody Spagrud and Noah Form have each chipped in with a multipoint performance offensively already in the series. The duo will undoubtedly log big minutes again tonight in a matchup role against the Barnstable-Brakel tandem defensively.

Defenceman Tanner Scott, who has played the last two games at the blue line position for the team for the first time since late February, has stepped up admirably in a top four role alongside Matthew Fletcher. Fletcher’s regular partner, first-year stalwart Seth Summers, was held out of the opening contest due to flu-like symptoms, before being eased back into the lineup in his return in Game 2.

In goal, netminder Joel Grzybowski has continued his seemingly superhuman play from the post-season into the Anavet Cup, as the 19-year-old stopped 29 of the 31 shots he faced in Game 1, before then adding an additional 37 stops to the resume – including 11 in overtime – in Game 2 to again lead the way for his team.

At the other end, after 18-year-old Nathan Moore allowed three goals against on 18 shots in Game 1, 19-year-old Ethan Peterson received the nod in Game 2, stopping 27 of 30 shots in his team’s overtime win.

The Ultra Print Pregame Show for Game 3 will begin at 7 p.m. with puck drop at 7:30 p.m. on the NAPA North Stars Hockey Broadcast on 1050 CJNB. Marty Martinson will have the call on the action.

There will also be a parking lot party held in the baseball diamond at the Civic Centre ahead of tonight’s game, beginning at 6 p.m. and running to 7:15 p.m.

Series schedule:

April 26 -> Game 1: 3-2 North Stars, the Final.

April 27 -> Game 2: 4-3 (OT) Terriers, the Final.

April 30 -> Game 3 @ NB Civic Centre

May 1 -> Game 4 @ NB Civic Centre

May 2 -> Game 5 @ NB Civic Centre*

TBD -> Game 6 @ Stride Place*

TBD -> Game 7 @ Stride Place*

*indicates if necessary

–

Martin.Martinson@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: MartyMartyPxP1