SOUTHEAST SASKATCHEWAN - The Carnduff Red Devils are the latest team to advance to the semifinal round in the Big Six Hockey League's playoffs.
Fourth-seeded Carnduff defeated the No. 5 Bienfait Coalers 10-4 Friday night in Bienfait to win their best-of-five quarter-final series in four games.
Taysen Holt scored 42 seconds into the first period and Wyatt Garagan tallied a few minutes later to give Bienfait an early 2-0 lead. But Carnduff stormed back, scoring three times in the first and three more in the second for a 6-2 advantage. They continued to pull away the rest of the game.
Ben Hiltz finished with five goals and an assist for Carnduff. Nico Anderson, Matthew Audette, Ty Stovin, Strahn Douglas and Matthew Plews also scored.
Cody Dumaine was in goal for the Red Devils.
Taysen Holt and Martin Druet had Bienfait's other goals. Jackson Walliser was in goal.
This marked the third straight year the Red Devils and the Coalers met in the first round of the playoffs. Carnduff won in 2022 on their way to winning the Big Six title, while Bienfait won in 2023.
The Red Devils joined the top-ranked Redvers Rockets and the second-seeded Carlyle Cougars in the semifinals.
Also on Friday night, the Oxbow Huskies kept their season alive with a 5-4 triple-overtime victory over the Moosomin Rangers. Brycen Odgers' second of the game 2:01 into the third extra frame was the winner.
After a scoreless first period, Ryker Cole scored twice in 23 seconds for Moosomin. Jordan Cooney, Dylan Hull and Odgers responded for Oxbow.
Chad Hebert tied the game for Moosomin in the third, but Kelby Widenmaier's goal 29 seconds later put Oxbow back in front. Brock Trotter tied the game again with 38 seconds to play in regulation.
Cody Levesque was in goal for Oxbow, while Levi Horn was Moosomin's goalie.
Game 4 in that series will happen on Feb. 25 in Oxbow at 7 p.m. Game 5, if necessary, would be the following night at 8:45 p.m. in Moosomin.
***
The three Big Six teams still playing in provincials play this weekend.
Carlyle will play Round Lake on Feb. 25 in Ochapowace in Game 1 of their best-of-three Hockey Sask Senior A south semifinal. The game will start at 4 p.m.
Game 2 is set for March 2 in Carlyle at 8 p.m. and Game 3, if necessary, would be the following night at 6:30 p.m., also in Carlyle.
Carnduff will host Langenburg on Feb. 24 at 8 p.m. in Game 2 of their best-of-three senior C series. Carnduff won Game 1 10-2 in Langenburg on Feb. 17.
Game 3, if necessary, would be Feb. 25 in Carnduff, also at 8 p.m.
Redvers will open their quest for a senior D provincial title when they play Craik in Game 1 of their best-of-three series on Feb. 24 in Redvers at 8 p.m. Game 2 is March 2 in Craik and Game 3, if necessary, would be the next day in Craik.
