North Stars can clinch Canalta Cup at home with win tonight

Winning those two games in Melfort could be looked at as an accomplishment in itself, as prior to this Finals’ series, the Mustangs had remained undefeated at home, holding a perfect 6-0 record at Northern Lights Palace through the first two rounds.

In addition, the Stars found their success in Game four, despite being down two key pieces, with both Ryan Gil and Dayton Heino serving their first of two-game suspensions. The Stars will be without the pair again this evening.

The North Stars’ 6-5 victory in Game four, was an overtime thriller, that saw five different players score in the outing, including Elijah Loon-Stewardson who had the team’s lone two-goal performance, and Kaden Boser who scored his second overtime game-winner of the playoffs, and third game-winner overall.

Likely the most telling goal on the evening, however, came off the stick of Stars’ defenseman, Ryan
Granville. Scoring his first of the playoffs late in the second period, Granville became the 18th different North Star (and seventh Stars’ defenseman) to register at least a single goal on the team’s playoff run through just 15 games.

On the other side of things, Melfort’s big line, made up of captain Carson Albrecht, Justin Ball and Tanner Zentner, came to life in a big way in Game four, with each of the three picking up multipoint efforts, as the trio combined for nine points between them in the loss.

The highest scoring line in the league this season, Ball, Albrecht and Zentner had combined previously for just a single goal, and five points between them through the first three games of the series, with Ball contributing the goal and four of the five points, himself.

Melfort’s “big three,” have scored 24 of the Mustangs’ 45 goals these playoffs, or 53.3 percent of their team’s total production.

The North Stars, who upon returning home to the Civic Centre this evening, will be able to dictate ‘last change’ in tonight’s contest. The team will no doubt look to get their top pairing of Cody Spagrud and Noah Form out there against the Ball-Albrecht unit as much as possible.

Up front, the Quintin Loon-Stewardson, Elijah Loon-Stewardson, Braydon Buziak line of the Stars, has gone head-to-head for much of the series with the Melfort big line, while continuing to lead the Battlefords offensively as well.

Quintin Loon-Stewardson’s eight goals lead the team, while his 16 points are tied with Braydon Buziak for tops on the quad as well. Buziak is coming off a Gordie Howe hattrick performance, with a goal, two assists and a fight, while Elijah’s two-goal outing in Game four was just the second time these playoffs a Stars’ player has scored more than a single goal in a performance.

The trio will no doubt be in the thick of things again this evening, leading the way if their team is to find success, along with goaltender Joel Grzybowski.

Grzybowski holds a league-best, 1.66 goals-against average and .951 save percentage. Should the North Stars come out victorious tonight, Grzybowski’s numbers would likely rewrite (at least modern) history, as the 19-year-old goaltender from Hafford, Sask., has been lights out from the get-go this postseason for his team.

The Ultra Print Pregame Show for tonight’s Game 5 will begin at 7 p.m. with puck drop at 7:30 p.m. on NAPA North Stars Hockey on 1050 CJNB. Marty Martinson will have the call.

Series schedule:

April 12 -> Game 1 -> 6-2 North Stars, the Final

April 13 -> Game 2 -> 1-0 Mustangs, the Final

April 16 -> Game 3 -> 4-2 North Stars, the Final

April 17 -> Game 4 @ 6-5 North Stars, the Final

April 19 -> Game 5 @ NB Civic Centre*

April 21 -> Game 6 @ Northern Lights Palace*

April 23 -> Game 7 @ NB Civic Centre*

*indicates if necessary

Pregame begins at 7 p.m. with puck drop at 7:30 p.m. for each game of the series on NAPA North Stars Hockey on 1050 CJNB.

–

Martin.Martinson@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: MartyMartyPxP1

by Martin Martinson

North Stars can clinch Canalta Cup at home with win tonight

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