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By Ryan Lambert

Meota Combines Season Opener

Meota Combines win home opener to start the season

Nov 18, 2025 | 4:00 PM

The Meota Combines of the Saskatchewan Prairie Hockey League kicked off their season on Nov. 14 at the Access Communications Centre, getting a 7-4 win over the Perdue Pirates. The Combines got two goals from Jayden Nachtegale in the win.

The team looks a lot different this year, according to forward and team manager Aaron Cadrin.

“We got seven or eight new guys this year that have never played with us before. This is the biggest turnover we’ve had on the roster in the 11 years I’ve been running the team and it’s good.”

Cadrin said the team got about 10 years younger, and improved their speed.

“Looks like the boys are a little more hungry, so we’ll see how that all holds out this year,” he said.

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Cadrin said that with a lot of new players, they tried to put lines together based on certain playstyles, but he was happy with the results. The team didn’t have a full roster which led to some lineup shuffling.

“We had a couple defencemen playing forward that first game. We have a lot of good defencemen this year, so that might be a pattern all year where we have to move some up front depending on who’s making the games,” said Cadrin, who isn’t too concerned about missing players throughout the year.

“It looks like we’ll have lots of commitment this year. We had six extra players the first game and I don’t think I’ve ever seen that in my first 11 years in a regular season game or really any game outside of maybe league finals,” he said.

“It’s tough having to sit guys, but it’s also really nice to see that type of commitment. I’m hoping that’s something they’ll keep up with all year…I’m sure if we have this type of commitment all year, we should have really good strength in numbers.”

After winning three straight championships from 2021-2024, the Combines fell in the finals last year to the Neilburg Monarchs, so the team is hungry to get back to their winning ways.

“I think that is good for us to experience because maybe we were getting a bit complacent, and I say that respectfully and politely to all the guys on the team. We did win really four years in a row, we hadn’t lost a playoff series in six years. Sometimes you need that reset, you need that loss. A bit of humbling just to get you motivated again,” he said.

The Combines continue their season when they host the Glaslyn North Stars on Nov. 22.

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Ryan.Lambert@pattisonmedia.com