Battleford Arena was the venue for opening night of the 2017-18 Saskatchewan Prairie Hockey League Season.
A good crowd was on hand to see the hometown Battleford Beaver Blues take on the Edam Three Stars, with the Stars coming off the league championship season last year. But it was the Blues who ended up with the 6-4 win on opening night.
It was a brisk first period with both teams having trouble finding the back of the net. With 6:17 to go in the first period, Battleford finally opened the scoring on a goal from Tyler Wasmuth, with Mike George and Nicolas Grona assisting, beating Quinton Gauthier to make it 1-0. That would be the lone goal through one period.
In the second period, a long shot from Kevan Bendall, with Mason Carierre assisting, beat Gauthier again to make it 2-0 at the 1:26 mark.
Kevin Friesen then made it 3-0 at the 6:47 mark. Wasmuth and Roddy Hoffman got the assists.
Edam finally got their first goal at the 7:49 mark from Brody Roach with Tristan Deronoski and Joel Blaquiere assisting.
With 5:43 left in the second, the Blues scored a power play goal from Wasmuth, his second of the night, with Bendall and Trade Tkakchuk assisting, to make it 4-1.
With Mike George in the box for roughing, Edam scored a power play goal with exactly two minutes left in the period as Josh LaClare scored from Joel Blaquiere to make it 4-2, and that would be all the scoring through two periods.
In what turned out to be a penalty-filled third period, a major scuffle at the 5:49 mark sent several players to the penalty box, with Edam’s Tristan Deronoski and the Blues’ Mike George both getting the gate with fighting and game misconduct penalties.
A power play goal by the Blues’ Cody Danberg with assists from Keegan Sparrow and Traye Tkakchuk assisting at 9:29 made it 5-2 Blues.
The Three Stars got one back with 6:32 remaining as Roach got his second from Ty Anderson and Joel Blaquiere on the power play to cut it to 5-3.
In the final minute Edam cut it to 5-4 with a hat trick goal by Roach with Mitch Cooper and Damon Schaefer assisting with 43 seconds left. But an empty net hat trick goal by Wasmuth sealed a 6-4 Blues win.
Final shots on goal favored the Blues, 41-26.
Most teams in the league will not see action until next week. As for the Blues, their next home game is Nov. 18 against the Radisson Wheatkings.
