North Stars captain, Ryland McNinch scored three goals in three different ways, with a shorthanded goal, a power play goal and an even-strength goal in three separate periods. (Martin Martinson/battlefordsNOW Staff)

By Martin Martinson

Take 1-0 Series lead

McNinch hat trick leads way, as Stars top Bombers in Game 1

Mar 19, 2022 | 2:23 AM

Hats were raining from the stands Friday night at the Access Communications Centre, as captain Ryland McNinch scored his first career playoff hat trick to lead the Battlefords North Stars to a 7-3 win over Flin Flon in Game 1.

Michael Harroch also shone for the Stars in the win, making 47 saves on the night – including many of the highlight variety – while Matthew Henry, Steven Kesslering, Dylan Esau and Jake Southgate also scored for the team and defenceman Sam Witt added four assists.

Flin Flon’s Mason Kaspick opened the scoring just under three minutes into the opening period, on a deflection in front of the goal, to make it 1-0 Bombers early.

However, the Stars battled back to tie the game just before the midway mark of the frame, on Matthew Henry’s first playoff goal to make it 1-1, before McNinch’s first of the night came shorthanded in the final minute, to make it 2-1 Battlefords heading into the first intermission.

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In the second, after Bombers’ forward, Jacob Vockler made it 2-2 just following a Fin Flon five-on-three, the Stars answered back with back-to-back power play goals to jump ahead by a pair.

Kesslering’s first came on a one-timer from the left faceoff dot, before McNinch slammed home his second of the night just under two minutes later on a man-advantage marker of his own to make it 4-2 Stars at the end of 40 minutes.

In the third, Flin Flon again cashed early in the frame, as Gabriel Shipper took just 59 seconds into the period to get his team back to within a single at 4-3, though that is as close as the Bombers would come.

Back-to-back goals by Dylan Esau and Jake Southgate just three minutes apart blew the game open at 6-3 Stars, before McNinch ultimately capped his hat trick performance at the 16:27 mark of the third, capitalizing on a rebound in front from a Holden Doell one-timer to cap the night at 7-3 Stars.

With the victory, the North Stars now hold a 1-0 lead in their best-of-seven series with the Bombers. Game 2 of the series will be played Saturday night at the ACC.

The NAPA Auto Parts North Stars Hockey Broadcast will be available on 1050 CJNB, with the Ultra Print Pregame Show at 7 p.m., and puck drop to follow at 7:30 p.m.

In other scores around the league Friday, eighth-seeded Notre Dame beat first-place Estevan 4-3 in double overtime, Humboldt topped La Ronge 6-4, and Melfort bested Yorkton 4-1, each to take a 1-0 series lead.

Scoring summary

First period:

2:52 FF Mason Kaspick (1) ASST: Rylan Thiessen (1), Ethan Anstey (1)

9:00 BAT Matthew Henry (1) ASST: Colby Bear (1), Sam Witt (1)

19:47 BAT Ryland McNinch (1) ASST: Sam Witt (2) (SH)

Second period:

12:38 FF Jacob Vockler (1) ASST: Jaxon Martens (1), Gabriel Shipper (1)

16:10 BAT Steven Kesslering (1) ASST: Dylan Esau (1), Sam Witt (3) (PP)

18:57 BAT Ryland McNinch (2) ASST: Sam Witt (4), Jake Southgate (1) (PP)

Third period:

0:59 FF Gabriel Shipper (1) ASST: Lucas Fry (1)

2:34 BAT Dylan Esau (1) ASST: Steven Kessleirng (1), Wilson Steele (1)

5:26 BAT Jake Southgate (1) ASST: None

16:27 BAT Ryland McNinch (3) ASST: Jake Southgate (2), Holden Doell (1)

7-3 North Stars, the final

—

Martin.Martinson@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @MartyMartyPxP1