North Stars teammates gather around goalie Josh Kotai following Friday night's Game 3 win in Flin Flon. (Martin Martinson/battlefordsNOW Staff)

By Martin Martinson

One win from championship

Stars take 3-0 series lead, put Bombers on brink with 6-2 win

Apr 22, 2023 | 1:30 AM

The Battlefords North Stars moved just a single win away from a League Championship Friday night, with a 6-2 win over the rival Bombers in Flin Flon.

Taking a 3-0 lead in the teams’ best-of-seven championship series, the victory sets up an opportunity for the Stars to clinch the title within the weekend, heading into Game 4, Saturday.

Josh Kotai stopped 30/32 to backstop the Battlefords in the win, while Steven Kesslering scored a pair of goals, and Tynan Ewart, Keiton Klein, Kian Bell, and Jordan Gibbs each tallied a goal and an assist apiece, as five different players chipped in for the team with goals on the night.

Stars’ forward Keiton Klein (pictured opposite Bombers’ Jaeden Mercier) was a difference-maker all over the ice for the North Stars in Game 3, scoring a goal, adding an assist on a shot block, and playing physical throughout the night. (Martin Martinson/battlefordsNOW Staff)

Ewart opened the scoring just 2:50 into the first, pinching in from the right point to fire home a wrister in-tight, set up by Bell to give the Battlefords a 1-0 lead early.

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Just over three minutes later, Ewart then found Klein for his second of the series and third of the playoffs, on another excellent play to activate from his blue line position. Faking to the middle of the ice to lose the forward defending him, Ewart then waltzed down the left-side boards to snap a perfectly-placed pass right on the tape for Klein in front, who made no mistake for the 2-0 marker.

Bell’s league-leading 15^th of the playoffs made it 3-0 North Stars on a quick release off the rush, assisted by Jake Southgate and Holden Doell in transition, to add an extra insurance marker.This turned out to be especially valuable, as Flin Flon would get an answer late on a controversial call to end the frame.

Alexi Sylvestre tipped home his sixth of the post-season what looked to be moments after the end-of-period horn. However, conferring with one another, the referees would deem the goal to be just ahead of the buzzer and let it stand.

Still a 3-1 game at the end of the first, the Stars would officially pull away in the second period, thanks to a pair of back-to-back goals from Gibbs and Kesslering.

Gibbs’ first of the playoffs made it 4-1 Stars on a gorgeous breakaway tally, set up by a shot-block from Klein that was then swatted on a diving play by Jordan Grill, to spring Gibbs in alone. Cutting in on goal, the first-year defenseman then made no mistake, going forehand-backhand then upstairs on the goaltender, for a highlight-reel tally just two days after his 19^th birthday.

Jordan Grill picked up an assist, and was a physical presence on the second goal of the game as well, making a real impact for the North Stars again in Game 3. (Martin Martinson/battlefordsNOW Staff)

Kesslering’s first of two on the night followed just over a minute later, off a heads-up play by blue liner Alex Izyk to poke the puck off an on-rushing Bombers’ stick right to #24, setting up a three-on-one attack in transition.

Galloping into the zone with a head of steam, Kesslering then snapped a shot home to make it 5-2, with his second of the game coming later in the period after a brief Flin Flon answer from Alex Von Spreken.

Kesslering’s second of the game and 12^th of the post-season, in just his 12^th playoff game, iced the victory for his team at 6-2, coming off a nice two-man cycle with Jackson Allan to win the puck out of the corner, then find Kesslering for the perfect shot from the left-circle, off the post and in.

The final goal of the night was also the lone allowed by Bombers’ backup Kenneth Marquart, who stopped 26/27 in relief of Harmon Laser-Hume, who allowed five goals on 18 shots.

Though neither team scored in the third, the Stars did continue to dominate possession and shots in the final frame, outshooting Flin Flon 17-11 on their way to a 45-32 shot margin on the night.

The North Stars will get their first chance to clinch the SJHL’s Canterra Seeds Cup Championship in Game 4 Saturday night in Flin Flon.

Saturday’s game will be available on 1050 CJNB with the Ultra Print Pregame Show at 6 p.m. and puck drop to follow at 6:30 p.m. Saskatchewan time on the NAPA Auto Parts North Stars Hockey Broadcast.

Scoring summary

First period:

2:50 BAT Tynan Ewart (2) ASST: Kian Bell, Jordan Gibbs 1-0 North Stars

9:54 BAT Keiton Klein (3) ASST: Tynan Ewart 2-0 North Stars

17:35 BAT Kian Bell (15) ASST: Jake Southgate, Holden Doell 3-0 North Stars

19:59 FF Alexi Sylvestre (6) ASST: None 3-1 North Stars

Second period:

3:38 BAT Jordan Gibbs (1) ASST: Jordan Grill, Keiton Klein 4-1 North Stars

4:42 BAT Steven Kesslering (11) ASST: Alex Izyk 5-1 North Stars

12:41 Alex Von Sprecken (3) ASST: Jacob Vockler 5-2 North Stars

18:42 BAT Steven Kesslering (12) ASST: Jackson Allan 6-2 North Stars

Third period:

None

6-2 North Stars, the final

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Martin.Martinson@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @MartyMartyPxP1