A pair of games marked the start of the 2021-22 Big 6 Hockey League playoffs Wednesday night, as the league looks to crown a victor for the first time in three years.

The 2018-19 champion Yellow Grass Wheat Kings took the first game in their best-of-three series with an 8-3 home win over the Oxbow Huskies.

Zach Douglas led the way offensively with a goal and three helpers.

The Wheat Kings finished third in the regular season, with an 11-4-1 record. Oxbow was sixth at 6-8-2.

An upset marked the start of another series, as the seven-seed Bienfait Coalers beat the hosting second-seed Carnduff Red Devils 3-1.

Taysen Holt scored twice for Bienfait, and Daniel Wanner added an empty-netter.

Oxbow and Yellow Grass continue their series in Oxbow Friday night.

A date for Game 2 has yet to be determined between Bienfait and Carnduff, according to the league website.

The top-seed Redvers Rockets begin their series with the Mustangs in Midale on Friday.

And the four-seed Moosomin Rangers host the Carlyle Cougars in Game 1 Friday.