The nearly two hour delay to start the Battleford Beaver Blues, Glaslyn North Stars game didn't effect the home team Wednesday night.
Because an earlier scheduled game went to triple overtime, in was close to 10 p.m. before the North Stars and Beaver Blues finally got underway at the Battleford Arena for the first game of the Saskatchewan Prairie Hockey League championship series.
In the three regular season matchups between the teams, Battleford won 8-2 and 6-0 while Glaslyn handed the Beaver Blues one of their three losses by a 4-3 score.
In the first period, the teams skated to a 1-1 draw. Wes Nash scored for Glaslyn while Martin Smith tallied for the Beaver Blues on a penalty shot.
The Beaver Blues' offence was more productive in the second period scoring four times. Smith scored twice to complete the hat trick and Keegan Sparrow and Jeff Heck also scored for Battleford.
Brett Michnik scored in the third period to make it a 6-1 game.
Kevin Russell, Brent Salzl and Daxon Collins all had two assists while Smith made it a four-point night after adding an assist.
Mitch Hawtin was the winning goalie while Cameron Simkins was in net for Glalsyn.
Battleford took 13 penalties compared to Glaslyn's five including a gross misconduct by Blaine Weber midway through the second period.
To get to the final, Battleford beat Cut Knife 9-1 Saturday in Cut Knife to take the series 3-1. Cut Knife won the first game in overtime in Battleford, but was outscored 21-3 in the final three games of the series.
Glaslyn also needed four games to advance from their semifinal series with Perdue. In Glalsyn Friday, the North Stars won 3-1 and ended the series Saturday in Perdue with a 5-1 win.
At press time it was unknown when game two of the best-of-five series between the North Stars and Beaver Blues will be.
