The Yellow Grass Wheat Kings opened up the 2021-22 Big Six Hockey League season in a big way Saturday. They routed the Midale Mustangs 11-2 to start off the season. 

The Wheat Kings started the scoring just 2:53 into the game and would keep the pedal to the gas for the full 60 minutes. Mike Onstad scored the opening goal for the game, assisted by Zak Hicks. Then, Kyle Mryglod found the back of the net with an unassisted goal at the 4:53 mark, making it 2-0. 

The Mustangs would get one back when Steven Lindenbach scored an unassisted goal at the 6:04 mark of the opening frame, but from there, Yellow Grass took over. 

With 8:11 to play in the first, Tucker Neugberger scored, with assists from Jesse Watson and Onstad. Then, with 52 seconds to play, Braden Mellon would get the puck past Talen King to make it a 4-1 game. Mellon’s tally was assisted by Neuberger and Luke Niemegeers. 

In the second period, the Wheat Kings would pick things up when Dylan Frey scored at the 6:27 mark. He was assisted by Mryglod on the goal. Then, just under two minutes later, Rhett Nikolesjin scored to make it 6-1. His marker was assisted by Kyle Crozier and Hicks.  

The Wheat Kings kept up the pressure in the third, when Burke Johnstone scored just 29 seconds into the period, with Onstad getting the assist. Then, at the 8:41 mark, it would be Nikolesjin scoring, assisted by Watson and Crozier. The lead would be extended to 9-1 Yellow Grass with 7:57 left on the clock as Hicks scored, with Mryglod and Onstad getting credit for the helpers. 

The Mustangs would get a goal of their own when Dustin Graham scored with 6:29 to play in the game. His goal was assisted by Chad Cline. 

Yellow Grass added two more before the end of the game. With 2:42 to go, Dylan Frey scored, assisted by Rhett Labbie, then with 1:20 on the clock, Mryglod scored, assisted by Niemegeers. 

The Wheat Kings will be back in action on Saturday, as they make the trip to Midale to face the Mustangs. 

There were four other games played Saturday and Sunday in the Big Six.  

Friday night, the Mustangs started off their season with an 11-2 loss to the Moosomin Rangers, while the Redvers Rockets got past the Beinfait Coalers 5-4. The other game Friday saw the Oxbow Huskies edge past the Carlyle Cougars 3-2. In the other game played Saturday, Carnduff routed Oxbow 8-1.