The North Stars have another chance to close out the series when the series comes back to North Battleford on Saturday for game five. (Image Credit: Ryan Lambert/battlefordsNOW staff)

By Ryan Lambert

PUT AWAY THE BROOMS

Melfort Mustangs force game five with a 9-4 win over the North Stars

Mar 26, 2026 | 12:16 AM

The Battlefords North Stars and Melfort Mustangs will play in game five on Saturday after Melfort extended the series with a dominant 9-4 win at the Northern Lights Palace. 

Unlike game three, the North Stars got off to a quick start. At the 8:49 nark, Alessio Nardelli scored his third goal in the playoffs. From the point, Nardelli walked into the high slot before scoring top shelf past Madden Mulawka to make it 1-0 North Stars. 

35 seconds later at 9:24, Kaleb Dewar put a shot on that deflected off a Mustangs defender and into the net. Dewar’s first SJHL playoff goal put the North Stars up 2-0. 

The Mustangs responded right away. At 10:16, Bo Eisner scored on a picture-perfect shot, top shelf past the blocker of Kaeden Serpa to cut the lead to 2-1.  

Just over a minute later at 11:16, Nolan Patterson took a pass before putting a shot on which was blocked. Patterson picked up the blocked shot and scored to tie the game at two. The first four goals of the game were scored within 2:27 of each other. 

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After one: Tied 2-2 

The Mustangs quickly took the 3-2 lead in the third period. Just 17 seconds into the frame, Kaleb Binner took a pass in tight, tucking it past Serpa to give the Mustangs a one-goal advantage. 

However, the North Stars got it back just 40 seconds later. At 0:57, Owen Nelson walked in on the right side before firing the puck past Mulawka to tie things up at 3-3. 

After that, the Mustangs completely took over. 

At 2:54, Binner scored his second goal of the period from the slot to put the Mustangs up 4-3. Later at 8:30. Luke Mackenzie scored his first goal of the playoffs, making it 5-3 Mustangs. 

Melfort tripled their lead at 16:57, when Eisner scored his second of the game, top shelf from the point in the final few minutes of the period. 

After two: 6-3 Mustangs 

At the 7:31 mark of the third period, Tristin Ziola scored on an awkward shot past Serpa to give the Mustangs a 7-3 lead. 

34 seconds later, Melfort went up 8-3 when Connor Ewasuk jammed at a couple of rebounds before finally getting it over Serpa’s pad. 

Noel Englot gave the Mustangs a 9-3 lead at 9:28, scoring in tight and Serpa’s night was over after allowing nine goals on 43 shots. 

Alessio Nardelli got one back for the North Stars on the power play, scoring his second goal of the game on a one-timer at 17:50, but it was too little too late. 

Final score: 9-4 Mustangs 

Series: 3-1 North Stars 

Game five is on March 28 at the Access Communications Centre. The puck drops for Napa Auto Parts North Stars hockey at 7:30. The Ultra Print pregame show is half hour before puck drop on CJNB/CJNS. 

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Ryan.Lambert@pattisonmedia.com