Friday night featured three games in the Big Six Hockey League, including a start-to-finish thriller for listeners on CJ1150.

OXBOW EARNS EXTRA POINT IN SEE-SAW 8-7 WIN OVER CARNDUFF

HIGHLIGHTS:

In what was anticipated to be a high-scoring duel between highway 18 rivals, Friday night's tilt between the Oxbow Huskies and Carnduff Red Devils blew that expectation sky high with an epic back-and-forth battle. At no point did either team lead by two goals in a game that also saw the lead change hands five times. 

Another interesting note heading into the game was the battle for the scoring lead in the Big Six. Entering action, Carnduff's Matt Audette and Oxbow's Taysen Holt were tied for 1st with 33 points each. Holt's linemate, Derek Cooney, was just behind with 32 points.

In the first period, each of those players were in on every goal. Audette opened the scoring to make it 1-0 Carnduff. Cooney and Holt responded for Oxbow to give the Huskies a 2-1 lead. Audette assisted on Devon Carriere's goal to tie the game at 2-2, only to have Holt score his second of the game to make it 3-2 Oxbow after the 1st period.

The scoring was spread around in the 2nd period with teams exchanging the lead. Carnduff scored two powerplay goals in the first three minutes from Blake McMillen and Shawn Gallant to take a 4-3 lead. Oxbow countered with goals from Brycen Odgers and Michael Hengen to regain the lead at 5-4. The Red Devils responded by scoring another two goals with McMillen getting another goal and Nico Anderson giving Carnduff a 6-5 lead heading into the 3rd period.

Oxbow tied the game early in the final period as Braden Brock scored to make it 6-6. Shortly thereafter, Justin Smith answered back for Carnduff to put the visitors up once again 7-6. 

Oxbow Celebrates Michael Hengen's Tying Goal In The 3rd Period.

That remained the score until the final seconds. With the goalie pulled and the extra attacker on, the Huskies found the loose puck around the Carnduff net and Hengen shoveled home his second goal of the game to tie things up at 7-7 with only 13.6 seconds remaining in regulation.

Overtime would solve nothing, which meant we were off to a shootout. In Round 1, Carnduff's Trevor Geiger was stopped while Hengen scored for Oxbow. In Round 2, Audette scored for Carnduff while Holt couldn't score for Oxbow. Neither Shawn Gallant or Derek Cooney scored in Round 3.

In Round 4, Carnduff's Brandon Trask was stopped by Oxbow goaltender Ethan Veroba. That set up a chance for Oxbow to win the game, with Blake Brooks executing a patient deke past Carnduff's Adrian Rubeniuk to give Oxbow the 8-7 SO victory and send the hometown fans into an uproar.

Carnduff (13-2-1) still earns a point in the standings and remains in 1st place with 27 points in the Big Six. Oxbow (7-11-0) is firmly in 7th overall with 14 points.

BIENFAIT SCORES EMPTY-NETTER TO EDGE YELLOW GRASS 3-1 

In a playoff-type battle, the Bienfait Coalers scored in each period to earn a hard-fought two points over the Yellow Grass Wheat Kings inside a frigid Bienfait Memorial Arena.

Payden Benning opened the scoring with his team-leading 17th goal of the season, only to have Cole Rooney answer with his 2nd goal of the year to tie the game at 1-1 after one.

Brennan Wrigley scored his 6th of the season in the 2nd period to put Bienfait up front 2-1 after two periods. In the final frame, Yellow Grass was unable to find the equalizer and Steven Turner added an empty-net goal to give the Coalers a 3-1 victory.

The win puts Bienfait (10-5-0) into a tie with Yellow Grass (9-5-2) for 4th overall in the league standings.

BIG 2ND PERIOD LEADS REDVERS PAST MIDALE 9-1

The Redvers Rockets scored six goals in the 2nd period en route to a convincing 9-1 victory over the Midale Mustangs.

BIG SIX STANDINGS & LEADERS

UPCOMING GAMES

Saturday, January 13th

Wawota @ Carnduff - 8pm

Arcola/Kisbey @ Oxbow - 8pm

Carlyle @ Yellow Grass - 8pm

Sunday, January 14th

Wawota Flyers @ Midale Mustangs - 4pm - CJ1150 BROADCAST