Stars pot six in Game 2 win, soar to 2-0 series lead over Hawks

Form’s first of the postseason opened the scoring for the Battlefords just under four minutes into the first period.

Showing good anticipation to intercept a breakout pass from a Hawks’ defenceman deep in Nipawin ice, Form fired the puck immediately as it hit his tape to fool the Hawks’ netminder and give the North Stars a 1-0 lead early.

Makarenko’s first of the playoffs tied the game later in the frame, coming off a net-front scramble in the Stars’ crease to make it 1-1 heading into the first intermission.

While the goalies would steal the show through the first half of the second, the turning point of the contest came midway through the period.

In the midst of a battle in front of the Nipawin net, with the Stars on the power play, Hawks’ defenceman Mkyllan Couture was assessed a five-minute major and game misconduct for a hit to the head of Kaden Boser.

While Boser did leave to the dressing room briefly, the forward returned shortly after and finished the game.

On the ensuing power play, the Stars cashed in for two goals coming just over a minute apart.

Ben Hiltz’ first of the playoffs made it 2-1, shortly before Urbanski’s blew the game open late in the advantage, making it 3-1 Battlefords.

The power play goals served as the lone markers for either side in the middle period, which saw the North Stars outshoot the Hawks 22-6.

Just under two minutes into the third, Elijah Loon-Stewardson made it 4-1 Stars with another power play goal, serving as his second in as many games to open the series.

Bruce’s goal just a minute later made it 4-2, and gave Nipawin some hope, but that hope was short-lived.

Esau made it 5-2 North Stars, cashing in on his 19^th birthday to put the game to bed, before Spence added the exclamation mark into the empty net to make it 6-2 Stars, the final.

It may have been a 6-2 final Saturday, but like Game 1, it remained a close contest for much of the evening, with players on both sides leaving it all on the line. Pictured here: Stars’ forward Jaxon Steele, tangles with the Hawks’ Jake Tremblay during Game 2 at the Civic Centre. (Martin Martinson/battlefordsNOW Staff)

The two teams will now get a couple of days off to rest and regroup, before returning to action as the series shifts to Nipawin’s Centennial Arena for Games 3 and 4, Tuesday and Wednesday night.

Games 3 and 4 will be broadcast on NAPA Auto Parts North Stars Hockey on 1050 CJNB and online at CJNB.ca. The Ultra Print Pregame Show will begin at 7 p.m. with puck drop to follow at 7:30 p.m.

In other action around the SJHL Saturday, Yorkton defeated La Ronge 4-3 to tie their series 1-1; Melfort beat Estevan 4-1 to tie their series 1-1; and Flin Flon doubled Humboldt 6-3 to take a 2-0 series lead.

Scoring summary

First period:

3:56 BAT Noah Form (1) ASST: None