The playoff push for positioning is on in the Big Six Hockey League for the month of January, and fans in Redvers were treated to a thrilling game to kick off 2017 on Friday night.

In a game that saw five lead changes, it would be the Yellow Grass Wheat Kings edging the Redvers Rockets 6-5 in a classic at the Rec Centre.

The Rockets would jump out to an early 2-0 lead in the first period, with Kelsey Kenler and Craig Gaudet beating Wheat Kings goaltender Cameron Irwin.

Then, Yellow Grass would respond as Dustin Chartrand scored on the powerplay and Troy Miller added another goal before the period would end to make it 2-2 after the first.

Redvers would regain the lead in the second period as Devin Wolensky scored his first goal of the season to put the Rockets up 3-2. However, the Wheat Kings would score their second powerplay goal shortly thereafter with Troy Miller getting his second of the game to tie it up 3-3.

The Wheat Kings would take their first lead of the night early in the third period. Brendan Vertefeuille found Troy Miller driving the net through the middle, and Miller backhanded one five-hole for the hat-trick and a 4-3 Yellow Grass lead.

Just over a minute later, it would be Redvers' captain Jordon Miller sniping his 13th of the season on the powerplay past Irwin to tie the game yet again at 4-4.

Yellow Grass went up 5-4 as Dustin Chartrand picked off the puck in the neutral zone and wristed a shot top corner on the breakaway. Minutes later, Gaudet would get his second of the game for Redvers to tie it up at 5-5.

The deadlock would finally be broken for good with less than three minutes remaining. That's when Vertefeuille stepped over the blueline at blasted a slapshot that Brodie McColl got a piece of, but not enough. Vertefeuille's 4th of the season put the Wheat Kings up 6-5, a lead they would hold onto as the final buzzer sounded.

Vertefeuille (1G, 2A), T. Miller (3G) and D. Chartrand (2G) led the scoring for Yellow Grass while Jordon Miller (1G, 3A), Drew Hoff (4A), and C. Gaudet (2G) had multi-point games for Redvers.

With the win, Yellow Grass moves into a tie for 1st place in the West Division with the Bienfait Coalers. Both teams have 17 points, but Bienfait has two games in hand.

Meanwhile Redvers remains at 16 points in the East division, one point back of Carnduff for top spot.

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The Wawota Flyers won their third straight game on Friday night, defeating the Carnduff Red Devils 4-1 at the Wawota Community Forum.

Wawota now has 15 points on the season, one back of Redvers for second and two back of Carnduff in the East Division.

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The Midale Mustangs defeated the Carlyle Cougars for the third time this season, winning 3-2 in Midale.

Midale has 9 points on the year while Carlyle sits with 4 points in the West Division.

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There are four games on Saturday night in the Big Six Hockey League, including another broadcast on CJ1150.

Midale @ Wawota - 8pm - CJ1150 BROADCAST

Redvers @ Bienfait - 7pm

Oxbow @ Yellow Grass - 8pm

Carlyle @ Carnduff - 8pm