North Stars captain Jake Southgate in the post-series handshake line, opposite Red Wings' forward Braigh LeGrandeur. (Martin Martinson/battlefordsNOW Staff)

By Martin Martinson

Advance to Semi-finals

North Stars clinch series with Game 5 win over Wings

Mar 25, 2023 | 2:29 AM

The Battlefords North Stars punched their ticket to the semi-finals of the SJHL playoffs Friday, with a 7-4 win over Weyburn on home ice, at the ACC.

With the win, the Stars take their best-of-seven series with the Red Wings 4-1, and will now await the outcomes of Flin Flon versus Estevan, and Melfort versus La Ronge, to see who their second-round opponent will be next weekend.

Six different players scored for the North Stars in Friday’s win, as Steven Kesslering tallied a pair in a three-point night (2G, 1A), while Jackson Allan (1G, 2A), Jake Southgate (1G, 1A), Brad Blake (1G, 1A), Holden Doell (1G, 1A), and Tanner Gold also scored for the team.

Stars forward Steven Kesslering scored two goals Friday, and four total in five games of the Stars’ first round series with Weyburn. (Martin Martinson/battlefordsNOW Staff)

Southgate’s second of the playoffs opened the scoring, making it 1-0 Stars with just over a minute to go in the first period, firing home a dart to the top corner short-side, off a set-up by Doell.

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The lone goal of the opening period, the Stars added to their lead with an insurance marker in the first minute of the second, as Kesslering powered out of the corner to fire home his first of the night and third of the postseason.

After Weyburn’s Nicholas Kovacs got the Red Wings back to within a single goal on a shot from the left point to make it 2-1, Doell’s second of the playoffs re-established an insurance marker at 3-1 Stars, scoring on a quick release in front just four minutes later.

Brad Blake stretched the lead to 4-1 Battlefords with his first of the playoffs, on a gorgeous breakaway tally to bring the fans out of their seats. Receiving a quick head-man pass from Jordan Gibbs on the left wing, Blake broke in alone on the goaltender, moving the puck forehand-to-backhand then back-to-forehand for the dazzling finish.

The game looked to be in full control for the home-side into the final five minutes of the second, until the Wings answered back with two quick goals of their own, courtesy of Ryley Morgan just prior to the second intermission.

Morgan’s second of the series came on a cut-move to the front of the net to deposit a backhand under the bar to make it 4-2. His third came just three minutes later, on the tip of a Max Monette wrister from distance to make it a one-goal game again at 4-3.

In the third, Jackson Allan eased the pressure for the Stars with his first of the playoffs, off a set-up from Kesslering to cash in for the 5-3 tally. Allan then returned the favour, with an assist on Kesslering’s second of the night and fourth of the playoffs just 7:30 later.

Jackson Allan played an integral part in the Stars’ Game 5 win Friday. In addition to his goal and two assists, Allan also had a key shot-block on the penalty kill, making his presence felt at both ends of the ice. (Martin Martinson/battlefordsNOW Staff)

Tanner Gold make it 7-3 North Stars on his first, deflecting the puck home from in front of the net, and while Weyburn would get one back late from Jakob Kalin, that is as close as they would come, in a 7-4 Game 5 final.

With the series victory, the North Stars will now get a week off to rest up and regroup ahead of Game 1 of their semi-finals series. As the #1 seed overall, the North Stars are guaranteed home ice regardless of who they play in the next round.

In other Game 5 action across the league, the #2 Humboldt Broncos topped the #7 Nipawin Hawks 6-2 to also advance, as the Broncos will have home ice in the other semi-finals series (HUM wins series 4-1).

Of the two-remaining series still to be decided, the #4 Melfort Mustangs beat the #5 La Ronge Ice Wolves 2-1 in OT Friday to take a 3-2 series lead into La Ronge for Game 6. The #6 Estevan Bruins topped the #3 Flin Flon Bombers 2-1 in OT as well, to take a 3-2 series lead into Game 6 in Estevan.

If Estevan win their series the Stars will play them in the semis. If not, the Battlefords will play the winner of Melfort and La Ronge.

Either way, Game 1 of the semi-finals in North Battleford will be played next Friday night (Mar 31), and will be available on 1050 CJNB. The Ultra Print Pregame Show will begin at 7 p.m. with puck drop at 7:30 p.m. on the NAPA Auto Parts North Stars Hockey Broadcast.

Scoring summary

First period:

18:52 BAT Jake Southgate (2) ASST: Holden Doell, Zane Florence 1-0 Stars

Second period:

0:47 BAT Steven Kesslering (3) ASST: Jackson Allan 2-0 Stars

3:19 WEY Nicholas Kovacs (1) ASST: Carter Briltz, Matteo Turrin 2-1 Stars

7:08 BAT Holden Doell (2) ASST: Jake Southgate, Tynan Ewart 3-1 Stars

13:20 BAT Brad Blake, Jordan Gibbs 4-1 Stars

15:13 WEY Ryley Morgan (2) ASST: Blake Norris, Ty Mason 4-2 Stars

18:06 WEY Ryley Morgan (3) ASST: Max Monette 4-3 Stars

Third period:

0:36 BAT Jackson Allan (1) ASST: Steven Kesslering 5-3 Stars

8:08 BAT Steven Kesslering (4) ASST: Zane Florence, Jackson Allan 6-3 Stars

12:21 BAT Tanner Gold (1) ASST: Jordan Grill, Brad Blake 7-3 Stars

18:55 WEY Jakob Kalin (1) ASST: None 7-4 Stars

7-4 North Stars, the final

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Martin.Martinson@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @MartyMartyPxP1