The Meota Combines look to win their fourth SPHL title in five years when they face Neilburg in Game 5 of the finals. (Image Credit: Byron Hildebrand Photography/Facebook)

By Ryan Lambert

SPHL FINALS

Meota Combines to play in winner take all Game 5 against Neilburg

Mar 21, 2026 | 1:58 PM

The Sask. Prairie Hockey League (SPHL) season will come to an end on Sunday when the Meota Combines face off with the Neilburg Monarchs in Game 5 of the finals. 

After the Combines took down the Monarchs in Games 1 and 2, the Monarchs stormed back to win Games 3 and 4 to force a winner-take-all Game 5. 

Combines forward and team manager Aaron Cadrin said a big part of the Combines falling in Games 3 and 4, was them letting the Monarchs get into their heads. 

“They try to get under your skin, and we were pretty good for two games and not getting involved with that stuff. In game three we fell apart and got into penalty trouble, got some suspensions that carried into game four last night,” Cadrin said. 

Cadrin also mentioned that they have some first-year players on the team. Which means the moment may have been too big for the team in Game 3 with a chance to close it out at home, which let Neilburg carry over the momentum. 

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“I think it was a mixture of too much excitement and nerves and lots of young guys, never been in this position before and stuff like that. And then we kind of played into their game. They’re pretty rough, they’re physical.” 

While they’ve had some players out of their lineup for a lot of the season, the Combines look to get some players back from suspension and injury in Game 5 with everything on the line. “It doesn’t matter what’s happened up until now because we got 60 minutes of game time and that’s all anyone’s going to remember. So hopefully we can approach it with that mentality and come out on top.” 

An advantage for the Combines being back on home ice is a larger ice surface, which can cater more to their style of play.

“We’re a fast team. We skate, and we skate, and we skate, and we skate, and that’s how we win,” said Cadrin. “I know we’re the better team if we play our game. They can’t skate with us. We just need to get back to doing what works.” 

While Neilburg has won the past couple of games, the Combines are still confident heading into the final 60 minutes of the season. 

“We haven’t played with the same urgency that we did in game one and two. We (had) three chances to close them out but now we got one chance and they’re in the exact same boat as us,” said Cadrin. “Being at home on the big ice, that’s where we want to be, and hopefully we can redeem ourselves for these last couple of games.” 

Game 5 between the Monarchs and Combines for the SPHL Championship is on March 22 at the Access Communications Centre. Puck drop is at 4:30. 

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Ryan.Lambert@pattisonmedia.com