Jackson Allan of the North Stars and Ethan Mercer of the Bombers face-off in SJHL Finals action. (Martin Martinson/battlefordsNOW Staff)

By Martin Martinson

Lead series 1-0

North Stars roll into Game 2 of Finals, looking to stay hot

Apr 15, 2023 | 2:00 PM

Coming off a 5-2 victory to open the series Friday, the Battlefords North Stars return to action for Game 2 of their best-of-seven SJHL Finals showdown with the Flin Flon Bombers, Saturday night at the ACC.

A true all hands on deck performance in Game 1 of the series, the Stars will be looking for more of the same in the second game of the weekend, feeding off a capacity crowd to play to their strengths as a fast team, dogged on the puck in all three zones.

Stars’ head coach, Brayden Klimosko said that speed and intensity is something his team wants to carry over and continue to bring in Game 2.

“I thought we kept our feet moving,” Klimosko said. “We played a really fast style of game last night, and I think we just need to continue to pressure their defense, and keep limiting our turnovers.”

Though all four lines were rolling for the Stars in Game 1, the two best players on the ice for either side were Battlefords’ forwards Jake Southgate and Colby Bear.

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Southgate scored a pair of goals for his team, including the tying power play marker early in the first, while also leading through his patented hustle and second-effort defensively to strip pucks and badger opposing forwards on the backcheck all night.

Bear scored two goals and added a helper using his unique combination of power and skill to take over entire shifts, as evidenced by his power move with the goal-scorer’s finish on his first of the night, and his vision to find Klein on the two-on-one in the second, after pulling away from the pack with speed.

Bear’s edge was evident early, mixing it up with Flin Flon’s Jacob Vockler in the opening minutes of the contest, following an offside call at the Stars’ blue line to set the tone for the night.

“Bearsy had a really good night with the two goals, and he was playing awesome in the d-zone,” assistant coach Garry Childerhose said post-game Friday. “He earned those goals, and made a great play in the d-zone to turn over the puck on the empty-netter late too, so we were really happy for Bearsy and [with] what that line with [Keiton] Klein and [Jordan] Grill brings to the table.”

Flin Flon’s two goals were scored by Kylynn Olafson (shorthanded), and Ethan Mercer. The team will be looking for their big-four of Cole Duperreault, Jaeden Mercier, Jeremi Tremblay and Zach Cain to break through, after the Bombers’ lethal power play was held to 0-for-3 billing in Game 1.

In goal, Josh Kotai and Harmon Laser-Hume were as-advertised in Game 1, and will surely be in the middle of things again Saturday, as the series progresses.

Kotai was dynamite, stopping 25/27 including a trio of big stops on Cain in the series opener. The 19-year-old enters Game 2 with a 9-1 record this post-season, along with a league-best 1.64 goals against average and .943 save percentage.

Laser-Hume allowed four goals on the night, but was excellent from the get-go, making 15 saves in the first period alone to keep his team in the contest through much of the game. Flin Flon’s 19-year-old is 8-3-2 these playoffs, with a 1.92 goals against average and .940 save percentage.

Saturday’s Game 2 in North Battleford will also be available on 1050 CJNB, with the Ultra Print Pregame Show at 7 p.m., and puck drop to follow at 7:30 p.m. on the NAPA Auto Parts North Stars Hockey Broadcast.

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Martin.Martinson@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @MartyMartyPxP1