Through 11 games in the Saskatchewan Prairie Hockey League, the Meota Combines have unleashed a goal scoring attack that is unmatched by other teams.
Although they dropped a 7-4 decision in Turtleford to the Glaslyn North Stars Wednesday, the Combines offence has been clicking as soon as the season began.
They have scored 93 goals so far in the 2017-18 campaign, which is 29 more than the second place Battelford Beaver Blues.
“The boys are just rolling right now,” Combines forward Blake Tatchell said. “Everyone in the locker room is having fun right now and enjoying the ride.
“We got a deep team up front and it feels like any line can score on any given night. It took a little bit to get the chemistry going, but now every line is playing well and we’re getting that important secondary scoring.”
Tatchell has played a big part in the team’s dominant offence, as he joined the Combines this year after playing in the ECHL last season with the Wichita Thunder.
“To be able to come back home and play with my brothers [Brody and Taylor] and my friends has been something I’ve really enjoyed so far,” Tatchell said. “Right now, we’re all focused on the second half of the season and continuing to win games.”
With Blake Tatchell sitting fourth in league scoring with 23 points and the tandem of Brody Tatchell and Michael Pylypow tied for sixth in 21 points the Combines have raced out to a 9-2 record and are tied for first place in the SPHL standings with the 9-1 Beaver Blues and the 9-0 Hafford Hawks.
“This is the best team we’ve ever had here,” Gervais said. “Offence certainly isn’t a problem for us and hopefully we can keep that going.
“A lot of us have been playing together our whole lives, so it didn’t take us that long to get used to one another and it’s showing right now.”
The battle for first place in the standings will continue Friday at 8 p.m. as the Combines will host the Hawks at the Civic Centre, while the Beaver Blues will go on the road to play the Shellbrook Silvertips.
Following those encounters, the Combines will go up against the Beaver Blues on Friday, Jan. 19 in an 8:30 p.m. clash at the Battleford Arena.
