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The Battlefords North Stars take a 2-0 series lead into Nipawin after beating the Hawks on Saturday by a 6-2 final score at the Civic Centre.

It was another fast-paced game, but unlike game one when North Stars penalty killing was a highlught, this time it was Nipawin’s rash of penalties that was the story.

On two occasions in the game the North Stars enjoyed two-man advantage situations, and they also scored three power play goals en route to victory.

Early on, it seemed at if Nipawin was off to a good start. While Noah Form got the first goal for the North Stars at 3:56 of period one, Nipawin tied it on Michael Makarenko’s goal at 13:08. Nipawin also led in shots on goal in that frame 14-

The game unraveled quickly for the Hawks in period two when Mkyllan Couture sent Kaden Boser to the ice with a blow to the head. He got a five minute major, this coming after Makarenko had already gotten a high sticking penalty.

Right after Makarenko’s penalty expired Bronson Adams went to the box for cross checking, keeping the North Stars on a two-man advantage.

While the North Stars weren’t able to score, they did wear down the Nipawin penalty killers. Soon after Adams’ penalty expired, the North Stars scored on the man advantage with Ben Hiltz getting his first of the playoffs from Jaxon Steele and Seth Summers.    

Then with Couture still in the box Matthias Urbanski scored from Summers and Hiltz to make it 3-1.

As the period ended the Hawks found themselves down two men again after a bench minor was assessed to the Hawks for unsportsmanlike conduct. Hawks coach Doug Johnson was visibly upset with the referees at the end of the period, yelling at the refs as he headed off the ice.

Once again, the Hawks managed to kill off the two-man advantage only for the North Stars to score on the one-man advantage. Elijah Loon-Stewardson’s goal made it 4-1.

Riley Bruce would get the only Nipawin goal in period three as Dylan Esau and Logan Spence (empty net) salted it away.

Final shots favored the North Stars 40-31 and it was again a win in net for Kristian Lyon who stopped 29 shots.

The North Stars now head to Nipawin for games three and four, which happen Tuesday and Wednesday night.