Mooseheads' Nikolaj Ehlers leads way to Game 7 showdown: Saturday & Sunday's 3 Stars

No. 1 star: Nikolaj Ehlers, Halifax Mooseheads (QMJHL)

The Dashing Dane and Halifax, which had lost three in a row to Moncton, bought a reprieve for at least 48 hours with a series-tying 7-5 Game 6 win at the Scotiabank Centre. Ehlers (2G-2A, +2) was coming off two games of pedestrian production (one assist each of the previous two), but his work carried the day as Halifax built a five-goal cushion and kept the 'Cats at bay, forcing a decider at Moncton on Tuesday.

Halifax's fourth line, Brandon Vuic (2G, +1), and Kelly Bent (2A, -1), who had an outstanding afternoon on the fourth line with Brett Crossley, warmed up the crowd off 7,610 with a goal from Vuic in the sixth minute. Ehlers had an assist on the Timo Meier 2-0 goal and fogged a slapshot by Moncton goalie Alex Dubeau to open a four-goal spread after 20 minutes. The Winnipeg Jets pick picked up his second helper on an early second-period goal and also caught the 'Cats napping with a tally 17 seconds into the third.

Ehlers' 31 points far surpasses the 19 of Moncton's Ivan Barbashev, the second-leading playoff point-getter down east.

No. 2 star: Nic Petan,  Portland Winterhawks (WHL)

Petan (1G-2A, +2) overcame the extra attention from Edmonton Oilers-drafted D-man Ben Betker during the 3-2 Winterhawks win over Everett that secured Portland's fifth consecutive berth in the Western Conference final. The Jets prospect got the icebreaker 6:43 into the game. The teams were knotted after one period, but Petan twice set up Oliver Bjorkstrand (2G, +1) for goals in the second.

The Winterhawks made that stand up, with Adin Hill making a solid left pad save on Carson Stadnyk in the final two minutes. Petan and fellow Jets pick Chase de Leo were also on the ice in the final minute as Portland ran out the clock on the 'Tips.

Two of the series' five games needed overtime.

Petan has 19 points over 11 playoff games heading into the third round against Kelowna, which will begin on Friday.

No. 3 star: Nick Paul, North Bay Battalion (OHL)

Paul (2G, +2) copped first-star honours as the Battalion, for the first time in franchise history, are off to a repeat conference final appearance after winning 7-5 on Saturday to close out the Barrie Colts in five games. The Ottawa Senators signing had a point in each game of the series and seven overall, including two goals when the Battalion blasted in four in fewer than 7½ minutes of the first to force the Colts to gallop uphill all night. Paul scored at 10:37 of the first to put North Bay ahead for the first time and also struck at 17:18 of the frame, while Los Angeles Kings-drafted centre Mike Amadio (1G-2A, +1) and overage D-man Brenden Miller (1G-2A, +2) also had nice nights. Paul's checking and faceoff acumen also helped North Bay withstand a desperate third-period Colts push.

The North Bay-Oshawa Eastern final will begin on Friday.

Neate Sager is a writer for Yahoo! Canada Sports. Follow him on Twitter @neatebuzzthenet.