North Stars teammates swarm goalie Josh Kotai in celebration of his 36-save shutout performance in Game 2. (Martin Martinson/battlefordsNOW Staff)

By Martin Martinson

Take 2-0 series lead

Kotai shuts door, North Stars blank Bombers 3-0 in Game 2

Apr 16, 2023 | 7:41 AM

Goaltender Josh Kotai stoped all 36 shots he faced Saturday night, for his third shutout of the playoffs, to lead the Battlefords North Stars to a 3-0 win in Game 2 of their SJHL Finals series with the Flin Flon Bombers.

With the win, the Stars now lead the best-of-seven championship series 2-0, winning each of their two games on home ice this weekend to kick things off, heading into the scene shift for Games 3 and 4 next weekend in Flin Flon.

With another 36-save shutout in Game 2 of the Finals, Stars’ goaltender Josh Kotai is now 10-1 with a 1.49 goals against average and .949 save percentage these playoffs. (Martin Martinson/battlefordsNOW Staff)

Jackson Allan scored the opening goal for the North Stars just passed the midway mark of the first, cashing in for his second of the playoffs, on a rebound chance off a Steven Kesslering net-drive to make it 1-0.

The lone goal of the opening period, the game remained a single-goal lead for the Stars until Kesslering added his 10^th on the power play, on a goalmouth scramble, tipping a Southgate shot over the goal line to give the Stars an insurance marker at 2-0.

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In the third, Kian Bell added his playoff-leading 14^th to stretch the lead to 3-0 Battlefords on a missile from the blue line to put the game away, and bring the crowd into a standing ovation that would re-occur at night’s end to salute the team.

Kian Bell’s league-leading 14th of the playoffs was one of two power play goals by the Stars in Game 2, as the man-advantage came up large for the team. (Martin Martinson/battlefordsNOW Staff)

The cherry on top of the night’s contest came when animosity between the two-sides boiled over late.

Following a borderline hit at the Stars’ defensive blue line by Bombers’ defenseman Aiden Chow on Keiton Klein, the Stars responded with a pair of fights breaking out on the ice, as Jordan Grill and Reece Richmond dropped the gloves along with Wilson Steele and Liam Bridger.

The North Stars and Bombers will now get a full week off to rest, practice, and regroup, ahead of their return to play for Games 3 and 4 of the series next Friday and Saturday night at the Whitney Forum in Flin Flon.

Both games will be available on 1050 CJNB, though it is important to note, they will both be an earlier start than usual. The Ultra Print Pregame Show will begin at 6 p.m. both nights, with puck drop at 6:30 p.m. Sask time on the NAPA Auto Parts North Stars Hockey Broadcast.

Scoring summary

First period:

10:11 BAT Jackson Allan (2) ASST: Steven Kesslering

Second period:

13:23 Steven Kesslering (10) ASST: Jake Southgate, Holden Doell (PP)

Third period:

0:20 BAT Kian Bell (14) ASST: Keiton Klein (PP)

3-0 North Stars, the final

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Martin.Martinson@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @MartyMartyPxP1