The Meota Combines and Battleford Beaver Blues always put on great battles.
The latest meeting between the Saskatchewan Prairie Hockey League sides will have some extra meaning.
Friday’s 7:30 p.m. meeting at the Civic Centre will see the Combines giving 25 percent of all proceeds from the game and the post-game Christmas dance to the Battlefords Empty Stocking Fund.
“We’ve have a lot of community support here in North Battleford and we wanted to help give back to everyone that’s helped us out,” Combines general manager Aaron Cadrin said. “It’s right before Christmas and to help the Empty Stocking Fund out is a great way to that.”
“We held a dance before our home opener in the Hot Stove Lounge and everyone had a great time there. We thought that with the Beaver Blues coming here and having a big local crowd, it would be a great night to have an event like this.”
Friday’s contest will be the first of two between the two Battlefords teams in a little over week.
They will also do battle at the Battleford Arena at 7 p.m. on New Year’s Eve.
“It’s the biggest rivalry in the entire league,” Cadrin said. “They have a good team this year and it should be quite a battle both nights.”
After a 4-3 home win over the Hafford Hawks Sunday, the Combines have a 4-4 record and are tied for fourth place in the SPHL standings with the Edam Three Stars.
“We had a bit of a slow start with some injuries, but we’re starting to pick things up lately and we should be solidly in the top four of the standings at year’s end,” Cadrin said.
The Beaver Blues have a 5-2 record and are tied with the Hawks for second place.
They are just two points behind the Shellbrook Silvertips for top spot in the SPHL standings.
