North Stars teammates gather around goalie Josh Kotai, following Saturday night's 5-2 win over Weyburn to tie their quarter-finals series. (Martin Martinson/battlefordsNOW Staff)

By Martin Martinson

Series knotted 1-1

Bell scores four to lead Stars to Game 2 win over Red Wings

Mar 19, 2023 | 2:46 AM

Kian Bell brought the fans to their feet, and gave the home crowd a night to remember at the ACC Saturday, scoring four goals to lead the Battlefords North Stars to a 5-2 Game 2 win over the Weyburn Red Wings.

Tying up the best-of-seven first-round series at a game apiece, the victory was the Stars’ most important yet, to get back on even footing heading into Game 3 Tuesday night in Weyburn.

In addition to Bell’s four-goal contribution to bring his total to five through the first two games of the series, Steven Kesslering also added his first of the postseason, and Josh Kotai made 33 saves to backstop the team in the win.

Following Blake Norris’ opening goal for the Red Wings to make it 1-0 on a power play strike midway through the first, Bell took over the night’s contest with three straight of his own, netting a natural hat trick within the first 40 minutes to flip the lead to 3-1 Stars into the second intermission.

Riderville

Shades of 2007

9m ago

BODY-WORM CAMERAS

RCMP begins nationwide rollout of body cameras for frontline officers

17h ago

Inflation

Rent inflation to slow in the next few years, Desjardins predicts

23h ago

The 2023 SJHL MVP scored his first of the night on a dart from the left circle on the power play; followed by a deft touch in front, to slide his second through the five-hole, on the rebound of a Zane Florence shot from the left-point.

Bell capped his hat trick with his third of the night in the second period, cleaning up the rebound of a Jordan Gibbs’ shot, and Tynan Ewart follow-up, to hit pay dirt and bring the hats raining out of the stands.

“It was really cool, [and] especially because it’s the playoffs,” Bell said post-game of how the moment felt. “It means a lot to have the support of the fans and it really gives us a big boost of energy when they are engaged like that. We’re lucky to have such good support.”

SJHL MVP and Player of the Year, Kian Bell has continued to be an absolute force for the North Stars in the playoffs, with five goals through the opening two games of the first round versus the Wings. (Martin Martinson/battlefordsNOW Staff)

After a one-timer from the left-point by Red Wings’ defenceman Nolan Henderson cut the Stars’ lead to 3-2 early in the third, Steven Kesslering re-established the team’s two-goal buffer at 4-2 on a two-on-one conversion.

Jackson Allan started the play from his own zone, floating an alley-oop pass over the heads of a pair of Wings, to spring Brad Blake and Kesslering on a two-on-one up ice. Blake then outwaited the sliding defender to feather a pass perfectly out front, for the finish by #24.

Bell capped the night with his fourth of the evening to make it a 5-2 final, scoring into the empty net off a pass through neutral ice from Jake Southgate, to seal the victory for the home-side.

Now a 1-1 series, the North Stars and Red Wings will get two days off before returning to play for Games 3 and 4 back-to-back nights Tuesday and Wednesday, as the scene shifts to Weyburn.

Both games will be available on 1050 CJNB, though puck drop from Weyburn will start 30 minutes earlier start than usual. The Ultra Print Pregame Show will begin both nights at 6:30 p.m., with puck drop at 7 p.m.

In other Game 2 action around the league, Flin Flon beat Estevan 5-2 (lead series 2-0), Humboldt topped Nipawin 5-1 (lead series 2-0), and Melfort rallied for a 3-2 overtime win over La Ronge (series tied 1-1).

Scoring summary

First period:

9:10 WEY Blake Norris (1) ASST: Ty Mason, Jackson Hassman (PP) 1-0 Wings

11:52 BAT Kian Bell (2) ASST: Holden Doell, Jake Southgate (PP) 1-1 Tie

17:34 BAT Kian Bell (3) ASST: Zane Florence, Jake Southgate 2-1 Stars

Second period:

14:54 BAT Kian Bell (4) ASST: Tynan Ewart, Jordan Gibbs 3-1 Stars

Third period:

1:38 WEY Nolan Henderson (1) ASST: Matteo Turrin (PP) 3-2 Stars

3:55 BAT Steven Kesslering (1) ASST: Brad Blake, Jackson Allan 4-2 Stars

17:54 BAT Kian Bell (5) ASST: Jake Southgate, Holden Doell (EN) 5-2 Stars

5-2 North Stars, the final

—

Martin.Martinson@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @MartyMartyPxP1