The Battlefords Stars looked like a team that couldn't wait to start the playoffs Thursday against the Saskatoon Contacts when Layne Young scored only seconds into game one.
They couldn't wait to leave the ice either, after the Contacts scored in overtime to complete a 5-4 come from behind win.
But the resilient Stars regrouped and won game two in Saskatoon 5-3, and then convincingly at home 7-3 to grab a 2-1 lead, ensuring the series with the Contacts would go at least four games in the best-of-five first round of midget AAA playoff action.
The game Thursday got off to a fast start with Young's goal from Spencer Bast coming 11 seconds into the game, as the fans were taking their seats.
Bast then scored from Young and Brayden Buziak midway through the period to make it 2-0.
Things were going so poorly for the Contacts that the third Stars goal, credited to Kyle Salaway from Kaleb Dahlgren at 2:46 of the second, looked like it was actually put in the net by a Contacts player.
But with eight minutes remaining in the second period the Contacts scored twice within a minute's time. Goals by Carson Albrecht and Jordan Borstmayer cut the margin to 3-2.
Buziak's goal soon after, with Bast assisting, made it 4-2. But with Troy Gerein in the box for head-contact, with 1:51 remaining in the period Kole Lind scored and that made it 4-3.
The problems continued for the Stars in the third as Jared Hillis went off for head-contact and Traye Tkatchuk for tripping. With a 5-on-3 power play advantage Lind struck again, beating Brett Pongracz to tie the game at 4-4.
The game was not settled until the second overtime period when Lind put in the hat-trick winning goal for Saskatoon, for a 5-4 win. The Stars had outshot the Contacts on the night 64-34 which earned Contacts goaltender Declan Hobbs star of the game honors for Saskatoon. Bast was named star of the game for the Stars.
Game two was Saturday night in Saskatoon and it was a much better effort for the Stars on the night as they built a 4-1 lead midway through the game.
Kaelan Holt got the only Stars goal in the first period with Cole Young responding on the power play not long after. But in the second, the Stars built a three-goal cushion on the strength of markers from Bast and Lesko on the power play, and then by Holt even-strength.
But Saskatoon made life nervous again for the Stars as they launched another comeback attempt. With a major penalty and game misconduct penalty assessed late in the period to Tyler Baier, the Contacts' Borstmayer scored twice to bring them within one heading to the third period.
Fortunately, the Stars held off the Contacts the rest of the way and an insurance goal from Keegan McBride sealed a 5-3 win on the road at Schroh Arena. Pongracz got the win in net as the Battlefords outshot the Contacts 31-26.
Game three was back at the Civic Centre on Sunday evening and the Stars once again had the first goal of the game, with Brandon Lesko scoring from Chad Rempel and Jared Hillis at 5:27.
But Saskatoon responded soon after. Jimmy Lambert scored with Lind assisting to knot it at 1-1.
The Stars' Layne Young put the Stars back in front with a power play goal at 7:23, the assist to Bast.
With 5:12 left in the first period the Stars made it 3-1 with Bast scoring his third of the playoffs, Young and Tkatchuk assisting. Shots on goal were 14-11 for the Stars.
In the second the margin increased to 4-1 with Jared Hillis scoring unassisted at 2:01. The Stars soon after had a brief two-man advantage, but while the Contacts were able to kill off one penalty they could not kill the other, and the Stars made it 5-1 on Kaleb Dahlgren's first goal of the playoffs from Buziak and Salaway at 4:53.
Saskatoon ended the run of four straight Battlefords goals at 9:09 when a fluke goal by Garrett Pilon went over the head of Pongracz and in.
The Stars were helped by another two-man advantage early in the third period. As it turned out, it was Saskatoon who scored short-handed with Lind still serving his cross-checking minor. Carson Albrecht's goal at 3:38 cut the margin to 5-3.
But the Stars restored their three-goal lead when Tkatchuk went upstairs, from Salaway and Buziak, at 5:54.
A late power play goal by Troy Gerein from Tratchuk and Hintz with 1:44 remaining on the clock finished off scoring on the night.
Final score was 7-3 Stars. Shots on goal favoured the Stars 42-25.
The Stars now lead the series 2-1 heading into game four Tuesday in Saskatoon. Game five if needed would be back at the Civic Centre on Wednesday night.
