The Meota Combines and Turtleford Tigers have had a back-and-forth Finals series, which will be decided in Game 5, Thursday night in North Battleford. (Submitted photo/Byron Hildebrand Photography)

By Martin Martinson

Winner Take All

SPHL Final goes the distance, with Game 5 Thursday

Mar 15, 2022 | 11:40 AM

The Saskatchewan Prairie Hockey League (SPHL) Final is going to a fifth and deciding game Thursday, to determine a senior hockey league champion.

It has been an epic back and forth through the first four games between the Meota Combines and Turtleford Tigers, after the teams finished 1-2 in the league standings in the regular season, sweeping the league awards in the process.

After Turtleford won Game 3 Saturday, 6-4 on a six-point night from their top line of Garth Matvenko (2G, 1A), Austin McDonald (1G, 1A) and Jordan McNab (1A), the Combines forced a Game 5 Sunday, responding with a 5-2 victory in Turtleford just a day later.

Led by a two-goal performance by Riley Albert and three-assist night from Justin Waskewitch, it was a win player/manager with the Combines, Kyle Gregoire said was huge with the season on the line.

“We kind of had our backs against the wall after not really playing our game in Game 3 there, but we definitely played a full 60 minutes and everybody was going that Game 4,” Gregoire said. “Our power play started to go and our goaltending was amazing that game as well.”

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Heading into the deciding game, he said now with all the chips on the table, the team is looking forward to the opportunity ahead to bring home a league championship.

“For us, it’s going back to a couple of years ago when we got shut down (with the pandemic cancellation) just before clinching the title, and that’s been a bit of a sore spot for us thinking about that over the last couple of years,” Gregoire said. “Just knowing there’s a lot of returning guys from that team, it would be a big thing to finally clinch a title, and great for the fans as well as I think our fan base is going to help put us out over the edge.”

Player/manager with the Tigers, Adam Gray said while it would have been nice to be able to win it all on home ice in Game 4, Turtleford remains confident heading into the fifth and deciding game.

“We were disappointed not to get it done at home as special teams killed us and Meota got lots of power-play goals, but we are very confident heading into Game 5,” Gray said. “The big thing will be staying out of the penalty box, as Meota’s power play is very good, so we’ll just have to work hard, bury our chances and play strong defence and we’ll have success.”

Gray said the league championship would mean a great deal to both the team and community of Turtleford.

“We haven’t won a senior hockey championship since the late 90s, so it would mean a lot to the town, the rink and the minor hockey kids who look up to us,” Gray said.

Game 5 of the SPHL Final will be played at the Access Communications Centre in North Battleford Thursday night, with the championship on the line, and a guaranteed $3,000 50/50. Puck drop will be at 8:30 p.m.

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Martin.Martinson@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @MartyMartyPxP1