SOUTHEAST SASK. — The 2023 Big Six Hockey League final will be a battle of Highway 8 rivals.
The Moosomin Rangers defeated the Bienfait Coalers 7-2 last Wednesday night in Moosomin in the fifth and deciding game of their best-of-five semifinal series.
Moosomin will now play the Redvers Rockets in the final round. The Rockets defeated the Yellow Grass Wheat Kings in three straight games in their semifinal matchup.
Bienfait had won its previous four games when facing elimination in this year’s playoffs. The Coalers won two straight over the Carnduff Red Devils with their season on the line in the quarter-finals, and also beat Moosomin twice in must-win games.
Game 1 will be played March 17 at 8 p.m. in Redvers. Game 2 will be two nights later in Moosomin at 7 p.m. Game 3 is March 24 in Redvers at 8 p.m. and Game 4, if necessary, would be March 26 in Moosomin at 7 p.m. A date for Game 5 has not been decided.
The Rockets were the top-ranked team in the regular season at 19-1. They have not lost in Big Six action since their first game of the regular season in November. The Rangers, meanwhile, had the third-best record at 16-4.
Each team has won one Big Six title. Redvers' championship came in 2018. The Rockets have been a powerhouse in recent years though, including last season when they lost in the final to the Carnduff Red Devils.
Moosomin's title came in 2004. The Rangers largely played in the Triangle League, and rejoined the Big Six for the 2021-22 season.
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It was a tough weekend for Big Six teams in Hockey Saskatchewan provincial play.
In the senior B provincial final, the Carlyle Cougars lost 4-3 to the Wadena Wildcats Sunday night in Carlyle in Game 1 of the best-of-three series. The contest had to be pushed back a day due to the blizzard that struck southeast Saskatchewan on the weekend.
Game 2 is March 18 in Wadena and Game 3, if necessary, would be the following day, also in Wadena.
In the senior D provincial final, the Carnduff Red Devils lost 8-3 to the Kyle Elks Sunday in Carnduff in the first matchup in the best-of-three series. That game also had to be pushed back a day due to the storm.
Game 2 is March 18 in Kyle and Game 3, if necessary, would be the following day in Kyle.
The Rockets were eliminated from the senior C south final Friday in a 3-1 loss to the Kenaston Blizzards. Redvers had lost Game 1 6-2 six days earlier.
