Yellow Grass opens Big 6 semi-finals against Redvers

The semi-finals are underway in the Big Six Hockey League’s playoffs.

The seventh-seeded Yellow Grass Wheat Kings defeated the No. 2 Oxbow Huskies 2-1 on Friday night in Yellow Grass to sweep the best-of-three quarter-final series. It was the final quarter-final matchup to be decided, advancing the Wheat Kings to face the top team in the league, the Redvers Rockets, in the best-of-five semi-finals.

In the opening game of the series on Feb. 21, held in Redvers, the Rockets came out on top 7-2.

Braden Mellon of the Wheat Kings scored twice, once short-handed in the first period, unassisted, and on the powerplay in the second period. He was assisted by Zach Douglas and Luke Arndt.

The series moves to Yellow Grass tonight, March 1, at 8 p.m., and then back to Redvers on Friday,

March 3 at 8 p.m. for game three.

In Friday night’s game, Jesse Watson scored in the first period, and Ethan Klebeck’s goal 42 seconds into the middle frame doubled the advantage.

Cody Levesque was in goal for Oxbow, and Tanner Erickson was the Yellow Grass goalie. Redvers advanced after sweeping the eighth-ranked Midale Mustangs in the first round. The Rockets have won 21 straight games, including the playoffs.

Meanwhile, the No. 3 Moosomin Rangers will play the fifth-ranked Bienfait Coalers in the other series. Moosomin advanced by beating the No. 6 Carlyle Cougars in two straight, while Bienfait needed three games to knock out the reigning league champions, the fourth-seeded Carnduff Red Devils.

The semifinals will be best-of-five series.