The 2022 SPHL champion, Meota Combines. (Martin Martinson/battlefordsNOW Staff)

By Martin Martinson

Senior Hockey Champs

Combines take SPHL championship with Game 5 win

Mar 18, 2022 | 10:51 AM

It was truly a fairytale ending to the season for the Meota Combines senior hockey team, as they took home a 4-3 win in the fifth and deciding game of their Saskatchewan Prairie Hockey League (SPHL) Finals series with the Turtleford Tigers, to be crowned league champions.

The championship serves as the final touch on a memorable year for the Combines, which saw the team go a perfect 14-0 through the regular season, before continuing their roll in the playoffs on the way to the championship.

Billed as a tight series heading, the league Final did not disappoint, as the Combines won the fifth game of the best-of-five by a single goal, scored by Boyd Wakelin in the late stages of the second, on a quick one-timer set up by Kyle Gregoire and Jayden Nachegaele, off sustained zone pressure.

“It’s pretty emotional,” Gregoire said postgame, looking around at teammates in the celebration. “It’s been two years here waiting to get it done after COVID, and nothing but a thrill for the boys, as we played a full 60 minute game to get it done which was amazing. Got to give Turtleford credit, as they had a really strong series against us and I’m impressed with how the boys were able to get it done to close out the season here.”

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Combines’ forward, Ryley Albert was named playoff MVP for his effort, leading the Combines with 13 goals and 20 points in 13 playoff games on the road to the championship.

Postgame, Albert shared what the championship means to him and the team.

“Words can’t describe how emotional I am right now, to win with this group of guys is unbelievable,” Albert said. “We built this team as buddies to come together and just win one absolute championship and now here we are; it’s an unbelievable feeling.”

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Martin.Martinson@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @MartyMartyPxP1