The Meota Combines and Battleford Beaver Blues always put on great battles.
The latest meeting between the Saskatchewan Prairie Hockey League sides will have some extra meaning.
Friday鈥檚 7:30 p.m. meeting at the Civic Centre will see the Combines giving 25 percent of all proceeds from the game and the post-game Christmas dance to the Battlefords Empty Stocking Fund.
鈥淲e鈥檝e have a lot of community support here in North Battleford and we wanted to help give back to everyone that鈥檚 helped us out,鈥� Combines general manager Aaron Cadrin said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 right before Christmas and to help the Empty Stocking Fund out is a great way to that.鈥�
聽鈥淲e held a dance before our home opener in the Hot Stove Lounge and everyone had a great time there. We thought that with the Beaver Blues coming here and having a big local crowd, it would be a great night to have an event like this.鈥�
Friday鈥檚 contest will be the first of two between the two Battlefords teams in a little over week.
They will also do battle at the Battleford Arena at 7 p.m. on New Year鈥檚 Eve.
鈥淚t鈥檚 the biggest rivalry in the entire league,鈥� Cadrin said. 鈥淭hey have a good team this year and it should be quite a battle both nights.鈥�
After a 4-3 home win over the Hafford Hawks Sunday, the Combines have a 4-4 record and are tied for fourth place in the SPHL standings with the Edam Three Stars.
鈥淲e had a bit of a slow start with some injuries, but we鈥檙e starting to pick things up lately and we should be solidly in the top four of the standings at year鈥檚 end,鈥� Cadrin said.
The Beaver Blues have a 5-2 record and are tied with the Hawks for second place.
They are just two points behind the Shellbrook Silvertips for top spot in the SPHL standings.
