Farmers eliminate Cartwright, will next face Carberry

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Published on Thursday, February 18, 2016

By Eoin Devereux

Neepawa Banner/Neepawa Press

The Neepawa Farmers have swept their first round playoff series in the Tiger Hills Hockey League (THHL). The club began the playoffs with an impressive 7-1 win over the Cartwright Clippers on Tuesday, Feb. 9, at the Yellowhead Centre.

Game two of this best-of-three series was played on Saturday, Feb. 13 in Cartwright. That game was a much closer contest, but it was still the Farmers who came away with the win, by a 5-2 margin.

Travis Tilley and Devin Epp opened up the scoring for Neepawa early in the opening frame. The Clippers answered back before the end of the first to make it a 2-1 score after 20 minutes of play. Both teams exchanged goals in the second to keep it a one goal game heading into the third.

In the final period, both sides battled for control, knowing that the next goal scored could be a game changer. At 10:58, it was Neepawa who notched that all important tally, as Nolan Speiss was able to secure his first goal but fourth point of the game, giving the Farmers a two goal cushion. A late goal from Riley Kolesar was a bit of extra insurance, as the Farmers moved on to the next round of the playoffs. 

In the eastern division semi-finals, Neepawa will face the Carberry Plainsmen, while the Minnedosa Bombers will be challenged by the Gladstone Lakers. 

In the western division, the Killarney Shamrocks  met the Deloraine Royals and the Souris Elks will battle the Boissevain Border Kings.