With the regular season winding down in the Big Six Hockey League, six teams took to the ice to kick off the final weekend on January.
OXBOW HOLDS OFF MIDALE WITH 7-4 VICTORY ON THE ROAD
HIGHLIGHTS:
The Oxbow Huskies can only finish as high as 6th overall in the standings at this point, and they took on the team they're chasing in the Midale Mustangs on Friday. 
The Huskies opened the scoring as the league's top scoring duo struck once again, with Taysen Holt (19) scoring with an assist to Derek Cooney on the powerplay to make it 1-0 for the visitors. Midale's Dustin Graham (2) responded a short time later to even the score at 1-1, but Oxbow's Corey Fitzpatrick (6) and Kolby Fleury (3) answered right back to make it 3-1 for the Huskies after the 1st period.
Midale would close the gap in the 2nd period as defenceman Brayden Ganson (1) scored his first goal of the season to trim the deficit to 3-2 after two periods.
Oxbow's powerplay restored their two-goal lead early in the 3rd period as Brandt Schick (2) made it 4-2. Once again though, Midale would counter with two goals from Jason Vermeulen (4,5) to pull the Mustangs back into a 4-4 tie midway through the final frame.
However, Midale would be unable to complete the comeback as the top line for Oxbow would be too much on this night. Holt (20) scored his second powerplay goal of the game to give the Huskies a 5-4 lead, then set up Cooney (18) a few minutes later to restore Oxbow's two-goal lead. Fleury (4) scored his second of the night into an empty net to make the final 7-4 for Oxbow.
With the win, Oxbow (9-12--0) moves into a tie with Midale (9-9-0) for 6th overall. However, Midale has three games in hand and still wins the season series between the two teams after two wins over Oxbow before Christmas.
CARNDUFF EDGES BIENFAIT 7-4 IN BACK-AND-FORTH BATTLE
What was likely the game-of-the-night heading into Friday lived up to the hype as the league-leading Carnduff Red Devils went shot-for-shot with the Bienfait Coalers at the Fast Centennial Arena in Carnduff. 
Carnduff got on the board first and jumped out to a 2-0 lead with goals from Mark Moriarty (12) and Matt Audette (22). However, Bienfait would answer right back with tallies from Wyatt Garagan (20) and Dylan Herzberg (7) to make it 2-2 after 20 minutes.
The Red Devils would take the lead in the middle frame, as Nico Anderson (6) put Carnduff ahead 3-2 heading into the 3rd period.
Bienfait would tie the game at 3-3 as Blaine Herzberg (2) scored four minutes into the period. Carnduff's Blake McMillen (10) restored the lead with 12:14 left to play, but that would only last :47 seconds as Keegan Marlayk (14) tied it back up at 4-4...only to have Shawn Gallant (12) score :39 seconds after Malaryk to put the Red Devils up 5-4.
Gallant (13) scored his second of the period with just over four minutes remaining to give the home team a 6-4 lead. Landon Senchuk (8) sealed the deal with an empty net goal to make the final 7-4 for Carnduff.
Carnduff (17-2-1) remains in top spot of the Big Six Hockey League, with their 'Magic Number' to clinch 1st overall in the standings down to 3 points. (Redvers is 7 points back of Carnduff and can only earn 10 more points in the regular season). Meanwhile, Bienfait (12-7-0) remains tied in 4th overall with Yellow Grass.
WAWOTA FLYS PAST ARCOLA/KISBEY WITH 6-2 WIN
The Wawota Flyers are literally limping towards the postseason, but were able to get back into the win column with a 6-2 victory over the Arcola/Kisbey Combines at Prairie Place on Friday. 
Taylor Ernst (7), Kent Sauter (10) and Ryan Taylor (6) scored in the 1st period to get the Flyers out to a 3-0 lead. Ernst (8) added another goal in the middle frame to make it 4-0 after two periods.
Sauter (11) scored his second of the game to make it 5-0 Wawota halfway through the 3rd period. The Combines would spoil Scott Knelsen's shutout bid for Wawota with less than two minutes to play, as Tyson Hislop (3) and Duane Hislop (6) each scored for Arcola/Kisbey. Brady Dinwoodie scored for the Flyers with 1 second remaining to make the final 6-2 for Wawota.
The win puts Wawota (12-4-4) back into a tie with Redvers for 2nd overall, while Arcola/Kisbey (1-16-0) remains on the outside of the playoff picture trailing Carlyle by 3 points for the 8th and final playoff spot.
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Saturday, January 27th
Wawota @ Bienfait - 7pm
Redvers @ Yellow Grass - 8pm
Sunday, January 28th
Midale @ Carnduff - 5pm
Yellow Grass @ Oxbow - 7:30pm
Wed, Apr 24, 6:00 PM
Seasonal, Labour
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