CARNDUFF - The Big Six Hockey League's playoffs opened with another thrilling postseason game between the Bienfait Coalers and the Carnduff Red Devils.
Dylan Herzberg scored his second goal of the game 6:36 into overtime to lift the Coalers to a 5-4 overtime victory over the Red Devils on Tuesday night in Carnduff.
The Red Devils led 2-0 after the first period on goals by Kody Martin and Ty Stovin, the latter coming with three seconds to play in the frame. Martin Druet and Herzberg replied for Bienfait in the second, with Herzberg's goal coming with 52 seconds remaining.
The teams traded goals in the third. Druet's second of the game gave Bienfait the lead, but Tanner Reynolds replied for Carnduff. A Carson Cayer goal restored Bienfait's advantage, but Brandon Trask's goal with 2:18 to play in the third forced overtime.
Jackson Walliser was in goal for Bienfait, and Cody Dumaine was the Carnduff netminder.
Game 2 is slated for Feb. 15 in Bienfait. Game 3 is Feb. 20 in Carnduff at 8 p.m. Game 4, if necessary, would be Feb. 23 in Bienfait at 8 p.m. and Game 5 would be Feb. 26 in Carnduff, also at 8 p.m.
Carnduff was 10-8 in the regular season, while Bienfait was 9-9.
This marks the third straight season the Red Devils and Coalers have met in the quarter-final round. Two years ago, Carnduff defeated Bienfait en route to winning the Big Six Hockey League's championship. Last year Bienfait dethroned the Red Devils. Those two series were best-of-three contests.
First-round playoff series are best-of-five affairs this year.
As for the other series, the top-ranked Redvers Rockets will play the No. 8 Midale Mustangs. Redvers had the best record in the league at 16-2, good for 32 points, while the Mustangs claimed the final playoff spot with eight points on a 3-13-2 record.
Game 1 in that series is Feb. 14 in Redvers at 8 p.m. (Results were not available at press time). Game 2 is set for Feb. 16 in Midale at 8 p.m., and Game 3 is Feb. 18 in Redvers at 5:30 p.m.
Dates for Games 4 and 5, if they are needed, have not been set.
The second-seeded Carlyle Cougars, who finished with a 15-2-1 mark and 31 points, will play the Wawota Flyers (4-14, eight points), who are ranked seventh.
Game 1 is Feb. 15 in Carlyle at 8 p.m. Game 2 is Feb. 18 in Wawota at 6 p.m. and Game 3 is Feb. 21 in Carlyle at 8 p.m. Game 4, if necessary, would be Feb. 25 in Wawota at 6 p.m. and Game 5 would be the following night in Carlyle at 8 p.m.
The third-ranked Moosomin Rangers (14-3-1, 29 points) will play the sixth-ranked Oxbow Huskies (8-8-2, 18 points).
Game 1 is Feb. 16 in Moosomin at 8 p.m. Additional games are Feb. 18 in Oxbow at 7 p.m. and Feb. 23 in Moosomin at 8 p.m. Game 4, if necessary, would be Feb. 25 in Oxbow at 7 p.m. and Game 5, if necessary, would be the next night in Moosomin at 8:45 p.m.
SASKTODAY.ca will have updates throughout the Big Six playoffs.
