A new rivalry began Friday night.
The Battleford Beaver Blues welcomed the Meota Combines into a packed Battleford Arena. Both teams play their home games in the Battlefords, with Meota playing in the Civic Centre.
The Beaver Blues drew first blood in the rivalry, beating the Combines 5-3 and snapping Meota's six game winning streak. Todd Heck scored the game-winning goal and assisted on another for Battleford.
Both teams traded chances in the first period, but the physical play started early. Meota forward Daxen Collins was given a checking from behind penalty five minutes into the game. The rough stuff continued after the whistle when Combines forward Tyson Knight laid out a Blues' player who went offside. A skirmish broke out and Knight and Beaver Blues forward Jon Kachur both were given penalties for unsportsmanlike conduct.
Meota scored the first goal of the game midway through the opening period. Brett Miller's shot was stopped by Beaver Blues goaltender Mitch Hawtin, but gave up a big rebound. Bo Gervais pounced on the rebound, snapping it by Hawtin who was down and out.
The Combines kept the pressure on Battleford and were rewarded late in the period. Brody Tatchell entered the Beaver Blues' zone on a breakaway. As he was tripped up, Tatchell still managed to get the puck through Hawtin with 2:08 left in the frame, putting Meota up 2-0 after one.
Both goaltenders had strong starts to the second period. Keegan Sparrow had a wonderful chance 15 seconds into the frame for the Beaver Blues as he was left alone in the slot, but Combines goaltender Carson Churchman made the save. Travis Cheyne stripped a Blues defenceman of the puck, but was unable to deke past Hawtin. Churchman came up big later in the period as well stopping Sparrow again, this time on a short-handed breakaway.
The Combines capitalized on a Beaver Blues penalty midway through the period. Marc Migneault's shot was stopped by Hawtin, but the rebound bounced right to Knight who put the puck into a wide open net.
The physical play picked up again after the goal. Combines defenceman Dayne Iverson dropped Beaver Blues forward Brent Salzl with a thunderous hit as Salzl tried to cut across the blue line.
Battleford started to pressure the Combines near the end of the second period and were able to break the shutout. During a scramble in front of the Combines' net, Mike Nelson picked the puck out of the crowd and roofed it over Churchman, cutting the lead to two heading into the third.
Hawtin kept his team in the game early in the third. Brody Tatchell was in on a breakaway again, but Hawtin poke checked the puck away from the Combines forward.
The Beaver Blues cut the lead to one with a goal Churchman must want back. Roddy Hoffman let a weak wrist shot go that found its way through Churchman two minutes into the period.
Battleford tied the game under two minutes later. After Beaver Blues forward Mitch Phillips thought he beat Churchman, Jordan Keller found the lose puck and jammed it through the goaltender's legs and into the back of the net.
The Combines took a penalty 12 seconds after the tying goal as Kyle Gregoire was sent off for tripping. Battleford capitalized 16 seconds into the power play. Heck deposited the rebound off of a Salzl shot to give the Beaver Blues their first lead of the game with 15 minutes left in the game.
Neither team was able to add much pressure in the final moments of the game. Salzl scored into an empty net with 37 seconds left to seal the victory.
Hawtin earned his fourth win of the season for Battleford. Churchman dropped his first game of the season.
