The two-time defending SPHL champions were dethroned Tuesday night in Cut Knife. The Colts, who finished in first place in the regular season, swept the Battleford Beaver Blues with a 7-3 victory over the reigning champions.
In game one of their best-of-five series, the Colts blanked the Beaver Blues 4-0 at home Friday night. Gino Frank, Kirk MacDonald, Jordan Noble and Troy Watt found the back of the net for Cut Knife. Dallas Sperle picked up the shutout.
The Colts took a 2-0 advantage in the series with a 5-2 win in Battleford Saturday night. Kenton Albert scored twice in the Colts' win. MacDonald, Watt and Ashton Hewson also lit the lamp for Cut Knife. Mike Nelson and Brent Salzl scored for Battleford.
Cut Knife finished off the series Tuesday night with a 7-3 win at home. Albert had another two-goal game in the series clincher for the Colts. Noble also scored twice for Cut Knife. The other Colts' goal-scorers were Hewson, MacDonald and Brayden Bertoia. Nelson, Darren Poitras and Scott Maunula each had a goal, but it was not enough to keep the Beaver Blues alive.
In the other semifinal series, the Maymont Settlers and the Shellbrook Silvertips have each won one game.
Game one saw the Shellbrook Silvertips beat the Settlers 3-2 in overtime in Maymont Friday night. Devon Dicus, Nathaniel Martin and Mitch Wourms were Shellbrook's goal scorers. Kyle Litchenwald and Michael Pylypow scored Maymont's goals.
In game two in Shellbrook, the Settlers regained home ice advantage with a 8-6 win after holding off the Silvertips in the third period.
The Silvertips opened the scoring midway through the first period. Shellbrook captain Nick Martin scored 10 seconds into a power play to give the Silvertips a 1-0 lead with 9:39 remaining. Maymont tied the game with 6:41 left in the frame. Kinley Sevick lit the lamp with an assist from Litchenwald.
The Settlers exploded for six goals in the second period. Taylor Fauchoux got on the board with a goal 2:12 into the second. Pylypow scored two minutes later to give Maymont a 3-1 lead. Litchenwald extended the lead to three 4:57 into the period.
Shellbrook struck back with another power-play goal midway through the second. Wourms found the back of the net with 10:50 to play in the period, cutting the lead to two.
Maymont restored their three-goal lead 27 seconds later when Sevick scored his second goal of the game. Pylypow got his second of the game with 6:52 left to give Maymont a 6-2 lead.
The Silvertips cut the lead to three with Kyle Brataschuk's goal with 4:10 remaining in the second. Maymont went into the second intermission with a 7-3 lead after Colby Beierle lit the lamp with 2:38 to play in the period.
Shellbrook began their comeback with a goal early in the third period. Dicus scored 3:28 into the third to make it a 7-4 game. Wourms got his second of the game with a goal 7:57 into the period to cut the lead to two.
Maymont sealed the game shortly after the goal. Tyler Hubbard scored 16 seconds later to put the Settlers up 8-5. The Silvertips tried to get back into it when Brataschuk found the back of the net with 4:16 to play, but they did not get any closer.
The best-of-five series resumes with game three Friday night in Maymont at 8:30 p.m. Game four is Saturday night at 8:30 p.m. in Shellbrook.
