The Battlefords North Stars are on the brink of elimination.
The Melville Millionaires used a third-period comeback to beat the North Stars 5-2 Tuesday night at the Horizon Credit Union Centre in game three of their SJHL semifinal.
The Millionaires were down 2-1 heading into the third period, but scored three goals in less than four minutes to take over the game.
Melville leads the best-of-seven series 3-0 and can knock the North Stars out of the playoffs Wednesday night.
There were lineup changes for the North Stars prior to the game. Regan Yew and Braden Lacoursiere drew into the lineup for their first appearance since early in the series against Estevan. Josh LaFramboise was also added to the roster following the Battlefords Stars losing the SMAAAHL final Saturday afternoon.
The North Stars had the first chance of the game. Ryne Keller gained the zone and dropped the puck back for a trailing Kyle Schmidt, whose shot was stopped by Melville goaltender Isaiah Plett.
Following this chance, the Millionaires dominated most of the first half of the period. Melville applied pressure to the North Stars, but Battlefords goalie Michael Gudmandson answered by keeping the game scoreless for the first eight minutes of the game.
Melville got on the board with a power-play goal 8:39 into the first. With Tanner Quinn in the box for tripping, the Millionaires took advantage of a scramble in front of the net. Three Melville forwards had whacks at the puck as Gudmandson kept it out of the net. Eventually Lane Harbor got his stick on the puck and knocked it past Gudmandson for his fourth of the post-season.
Battlefords tied the game less than two minutes later. Jake McMillen deflected a Kendall Fransoo point shot past Plett for his second goal of the playoffs with 9:12 to play in the period.
In the second, the physical play started to ramp up. With Brendan Heinrich in the box for high sticking, Sam Williams crashed the net for a rebound and ran into Gudmandson. As he was getting up, the Millionaires forward pushed Gudmandson. Later in the first, North Stars defenceman Latrell Charleson and Millionaires defenceman Adam Dibella squared off following a big hit. Charleson got the better of the fight, landing multiple shots on Dibella.
Gudmandson continued to keep his team in the game. During a North Stars' too many men on the ice penalty, the Battlefords goaltender made five saves. One of the saves was a stop right at the side of the net as Gudmandson sprawled from post to post to keep Colin Mospanchuk's attempt from crossing the goal line.
Battlefords gained momentum from the strong play of their goalie and took the lead on a power play with 6:54 remaining. With Keller stationed in front of the net, Lacoursiere's shot beat Plett to give the North Stars a 2-1 lead.
The North Stars kept up the pressure towards the end of the period. Jack Petrino broke into Melville's zone and snapped a puck on net. Plett made the stop with his blocker and directed it away from Quinn, who was looking for a rebound.
Melville tied the game 6:48 into the third period during the second too many men on the ice penalty for the North Stars. Gudmandson made the initial save, but gave up a big rebound. Allan Kilback shot the puck into the empty net as the North Stars netminder was still down for his third of the playoffs.
The Millionaires were awarded a penalty shot 18 seconds after the tying goal. As Williams was on a rush into the North Stars' zone, Schmidt slashed at the Millionaires forward. On the attempt, Williams deked to his backhand and raised the puck over Gudmandson's glove to give Melville a 3-2 lead.
Reed Murray sealed the game for the Millionaires with 9:51 left to play. Murray and Kelvin Walz broke into the North Stars' zone on a two-on-one rush. Gudmandson stopped Walz's shot, but Murray gathered the rebound and flipped it over the North Stars goalie to make it a 4-2 game.
Murray scored his second of the game on a late Millionaires power play to make it 5-2. Harbor's first shot was blocked by a member of the North Stars, but the rebound fell right to Murray. He snapped the puck through Gudmandson's five-hole with 2:06 remaining in the game. It was the third power-play goal of the game for Melville.
The North Stars were outshot 16-5 in the third period as Melville pulled away in the final period.
Plett stopped 19 of 21 North Stars' shots to put the Millionaires one win away from advancing to the SJHL final. Gudmandson made 30 saves in the loss.
Game four of the series is Wednesday night in Melville. Game time is 7:30 p.m.
