Josh Kotai celebrates with teammates after backstopping the Stars to a 3-0 win, Tuesday. (Martin Martinson/battlefordsNOW Staff)

By Martin Martinson

Take 2-1 Series lead

Kotai shutout paves way in Stars’ 3-0 Game 3 win

Mar 22, 2023 | 3:05 AM

Josh Kotai stopped all 34 shots he faced to lead the way with his first career playoff shutout, as the Battlefords North Stars topped the Weyburn Red Wings 3-0 in Game 3 Tuesday.

With the victory, the North Stars take a 2-1 series lead in the teams’ best-of-seven, in what was a highly-emotional game with animosity boiling over between the two sides late in the evening.

The first of two-straight in Weyburn, the game began in much the same way as the previous two, as the North Stars outshot the Red Wings 20-7 by the end of the first.

Despite the heavy shot advantage however, the game remained scoreless into the second, when finally the Stars found a way to break through against Wings’ goaltender Dazza Mitchell.

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Evan Waldie scored the Battlefords’ opening goal, for his first of the playoffs at the 4:10 mark of the second, following up a Tanner Gold shot from the point to tuck home the rebound and give the team a 1-0 advantage.

Evan Waldie celebrates with teammates following his second period goal Tuesday night, that proved to be the winner in Game 3. (Martin Martinson/battlefordsNOW Staff)

The lone goal through 40 minutes despite a 35-18 shot advantage, the Stars’ persistence paid off early in the third when Tynan Ewart added an invaluable insurance marker to make it 2-0 Battlefords on a power play tally from the left-side circle for his first of the playoffs.

Weyburn did turn up the heat in the third, firing 16 shots on goal in the frame with a number of their best scoring chances, including a lengthy 5-on-3 power play killed off primarily by the trio of Jake Southgate, Ewart and Zane Florence for the Stars.

Late in the game with the goalie pulled for Weyburn, the intensity in the series then officially reached new heights on a huge hit by Wings’ forward Max Monette, just as Kian Bell fired the puck into the empty net to ice the victory at 3-0.

A big hit in open ice just off to the side of the net, within the blink of an eye Jake Southgate jumped in to grab Monette, while Doell tangled up with Lucas Jeffreys, as a full-on melee was underway with everybody on the ice pairing off with a dance partner.

Following the all-out line brawl, Emmett Wurst then dropped the gloves with Wings’ defenceman Nicholas Kovacs on the ensuing shift with just 1:05 to go, to cap the wild finish and continue the ramp-up of animosity heading into Game 4, Wednesday.

Stars’ goalie Josh Kotai pictured here with the puck from his first career SJHL playoff shutout, Tuesday night in Game 3. (Martin Martinson/battlefordsNOW Staff)

Game 4 between the Stars and Red Wings will be available on 1050 CJNB, with the Ultra Print Pregame Show at 6:30 p.m. and puck drop to follow at 7 p.m.

In other Game 3 action around the league, Nipawin topped Humboldt 4-3 (HUM lead series 2-1); Estevan beat Flin Flon 4-3 in OT (FF lead series 2-1); and La Ronge topped Melfort 4-3 in OT (LAR lead series 2-1).

Scoring summary

First period:

No scoring

Second period:

4:10 Evan Waldie (1) ASST: Tanner Gold 1-0 Stars

Third period:

2:40 BAT Tynan Ewart (1) ASST: Holden Doell, Kian Bell (PP) 2-0 Stars

18:51 BAT Kian Bell (6) ASST: Jake Southgate (EN) 3-0 Stars

3-0 North Stars

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Martin.Martinson@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @MartyMartyPxP1