The Saskatchewan Prairie Hockey League was down to its last four teams as playoff action resumed over the weekend.
The series between Meota Combines and Edam Three Stars has been particularly intense between the two geographically-close rivals.
Meota had to hold off an Edam comeback at home in the series opener, 5-4. But game two in Edam on Saturday was a different story, as the Three Stars dominated the Combines 7-2 to tie the series up at 1-1.
With the series back at the Civic Centre the next evening before a big crowd, the Combines needed a win to maintain home ice advantage in the series.
After Marc LaClare of Edam took a interference penalty, the Combines got on the board first at the 5:05 mark of the first with a power play goal from Brett Miller with Branden Sentes assisting.
That would be all the scoring through one, with shots favouring the Combines 11-9.
In the second period, Edam tied the game at the 3:02 mark on a goal from Damon Schaefer with Brennon Weitzel and Joel Jullion assisting.
With Ty Gardiner off for high sticking, Edam took the lead with 6:31 remaining in period two as Adam Gray scored a power play goal from Mitch Wall and Brody Roach to make it 2-1. Shots were even at 18 through two periods.
There was little scoring through most of the third period. Kris Bloom had a breakaway with about four minutes remaining, but he missed the net. Not long after, they fired a number of shots at the Meota net that either hit the post or miraculously stayed out.
Finally Schaefer fired home his second of the game past Dallas Wright, Weitzel assisting, for a 3-1 Edam lead.
With Wright pulled for the extra attacker in the final minute, Jordan Blaquiere scored into the empty net to seal up a 4-1 Three Stars win for a 2-1 series lead heading home to game four in Edam. Final shots were even at 26-26.
In the other semifinal series between the top-seeded Hafford Hawks and the Shellbrook Silvertips, it was Shellbrook who drew first blood with a 4-1 Game One victory on Friday night. Game two was slated for Sunday night in Shellbrook.Â
