For the second straight series, the Battlefords North Stars have fallen behind.
A balanced attack led the Melville Millionaires to a 4-1 win over the North Stars in game one of their SJHL semifinal series at the Civic Centre Friday night.
The Millionaires took an early 1-0 advantage in the best-of-seven series with the win.
Early in the first, Millionaires defenceman Simon Genereux was sent to the penalty box for hooking. A minute into the power play, the North Stars opened the scoring. Battlefords captain Kyle Schmidt, who was presented with the Roger Neilson Award prior to puck drop, fired a shot towards the net. Blake Young deflected the shot off the post and past Melville goaltender Isaiah Plett 2:27 into the period.
Through the first 10 minutes of the period, both teams traded chances. The second half of the period was slowed down by penalties. Melville used one of their power plays to tie the game. With Luke McColgan in the box for charging, Millionaires winger Colin Mospanchuk redirected Alec Brandrup's point shot behind North Stars netminder Michael Gudmandson with 10:38 to play in the opening stanza to even the game at one.
The North Stars had a couple of chances to break the tie before the end of the period. Young was stationed in the corner of Melville's zone and found Cameron Blair streaking to the net. Blair took the pass and deked to his backhand, but the puck slid off his stick with an open net. Later, Tanner Quinn drove to the net on the right wing and shot the puck on net. It slid under the pads of Plett, but went harmlessly through the crease.
The Millionaires put pressure on the North Stars early in the second. On a rush to the net, Allan Kilback centred the puck. Reed Murray stretched his stick to tip it and the puck slid past Gudmandson's right pad and in 1:02 into the period.
Shortly after the goal, Tj Constant sent the North Stars to the power play as the Melville forward took an interference penalty. However, it was the Millionaires with the best chance. Murray streaked down the wing into the North Stars' zone and snapped a shot on net, but Gudmandson made the glove save.
Blair had a chance to tie the game during another Melville penalty. He was alone in front of the net, but fanned on the shot. The puck slid to defenceman Jake Erickson on the other side of the net, but a Millionaires defenceman tied up Erickson's stick.
Melville had another shorthanded chance midway through the period. After a turnover, Kelvin Walz found himself on a breakaway from centre ice. Erickson chased him down and harassed the Melville forward causing him to miss the net on his shot attempt.
In the third, the Millionaires used a quick start to take a 3-1 lead. Lane Harbor skated the puck into the North Stars' zone and snapped the puck over Gudmandson's glove 23 seconds into the period.
Battlefords turned up the pressure after Melville's third goal. McColgan spun towards the Millionaires' net. He had space to take a shot, but Plett made a nice save with his catcher. Later in the period, Ben Greenaway cut back to the centre of the Millionaires' zone and threw the puck on net. The shot almost fooled Plett, but he kicked into the corner.
Plett, while looking shaky at times between the pipes, was strong throughout the game for Melville, especially in the third period. He turned away all 14 North Stars' shots in the period to keep Battlefords at bay.
With 12 seconds left to play, Brandrup iced the game as he scored into the empty net.
Gudmandson stopped 20 of the 23 shots he faced on the evening to take the loss. Plett made 38 saves to give Melville the early advantage in the series.
