Stars put Hawks on the ropes, take 3-0 series lead, with 4-2 win in Nipawin

Summers opened the scoring for the Stars just 7:26 into the first period.

A highlight-reel tally to cap an end-to-end rush, the defenceman picked up the puck in his own territory, before winding his way through the middle of the ice and over the attacking line. Cutting in on goal, the smooth-skating, Summers then snapped a backhand shot just under the crossbar and in for a 1-0 North Stars’ lead.

Kesslering made it 2-0 Battlefords midway through the second, capitalizing on a two-on-one play for his first of the playoffs.

Receiving a pass from Hiltz on the odd-man rush, Kesslerling’s shot beat the goalie clean – off the post and in – to provide his team with an insurance marker.

Despite the setback, Nipawin didn’t go away. Girod’s first of the playoffs cut the Hawks’ deficit in half just under three minutes later, making it 2-1, before Bortis drew things to a tie at 2-2 with just less than two minutes to go in the frame.

It remained a tie game heading into the third, meaning someone was going to have to play the role of hero.

Right on que, that hero was Hiltz, with the Weyburn, Sask., product snapping home his second in as many games off the rush to pull the Stars ahead for good in the contest.

Stars’ forward Ben Hiltz played the role of hero Tuesday night, picking up the game winner in a multipoint effort to help lead the Battlefords to victory. Hiltz’ goal served as the forward’s second in as many games as the 20-year-old has carried his dominant play into the postseason. (Martin Martinson/battlefordsNOW Staff)

While the Hawks would push hard late with the goalie pulled, Elijah Loon-Stewardson put the game to bed inside the final two minutes of play, to make it 4-2 Stars, the final.

The teams will now get just under 24 hours to rest up and regroup, before returning to action Wednesday night for Game 4 at Centennial Arena.

Wednesday night’s game will be broadcast on NAPA Auto Parts North Stars Hockey on 1050 CJNB and CJNB.ca. The Ultra Print Pregame Show will begin at 7 p.m. with puck drop to follow at 7:30 p.m.

Scoring summary

First period:

7:26 BAT Seth Summers (1) ASST: Matthew Fletcher (1), Elijah Loon-Stewardson (1)

Seth Summers goal Game 3 vs. Nipawin; 1-0 Stars

Second period:

11:22 BAT Steven Kesslering (1) ASST: Ben Hiltz (3), Matthew Fletcher (2)

Steven Kesslering Game 3 goal vs. Nipawin; 2-0 Stars

14:00 NIP Brodie Girod (1) ASST: Riley Bruce (1)

18:14 NIP Evan Bortis (1) ASST: Carson Erhardt (1), Bronson Adams (1)

Third period:

13:41 BAT Ben Hiltz (2) ASST: Seth Summers (6)

Ben Hiltz goal Game 3 vs. Nipawin; 3-2 Stars

18:17 BAT Elijah Loon-Stewardson (3) ASST: Rylan Nivon (2) (EN)

Elijah Loon-Stewardson goal Game 3 vs. Nipawin; 4-2 Stars

4-2 North Stars, the final.

North Stars playoff schedule, Round 1 vs. Nipawin Hawks:

Game #1: Stars win 3-0; lead series 1-0

Game #2: Stars win 6-2; lead series 2-0

Game #3: Stars win, 4-2; lead series 3-0

Game #4 Wednesday, March 11 @ Nipawin’s Centennial Arena

*Game #5 Friday, March 13 @ North Battleford Civic Centre

*Game #6 Sunday, March 15 @ Nipawin’s Centennial Arena

*Game #7 Tuesday, March 17 @ North Battleford Civic Centre

*indicates if needed.

—

Martin.Martinson@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: MartyMartyPxP1

by Martin Martinson

Stars put Hawks on the ropes, take 3-0 series lead, with 4-2 win in Nipawin

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