A shutout and a shoot-out. Two very different games kicked off the new season in the Big Six Hockey League on Friday night.

The 2017/18 regular season campaign saw the Carlyle Cougars and Oxbow Huskies open the year up with wins on home ice, as Carlyle shutout the new-era Arcola/Kisbey Combines 6-0 while Oxbow outgunned the Yellow Grass Wheat Kings 8-7.

COUGARS OVERWHELM COMBINES IN FRONT OF NEAR-CAPACITY CROWD

To say the atmosphere was electric inside the Carlyle Sports Arena on Friday night would be a severe understatement. Stands surrounding the ice surface were packed with fans from both Carlyle and Arcola, with the two towns only being separated by 18 kilometres on Highway 13. A guaranteed 50/50 draw of $5,000 and free admission didn't hurt the attendance either.

*Note - The other half of the 50/50 proceeds were donated to KidSport, totalling a $5,000 donation to the charity supporting those unable to afford playing minor sports.

The first period saw both squads race out of the gate to start the new season. After a hard-hitting, high-intensity frame, Carlyle would lead 1-0 after 20 minutes thanks to a backhander from Kelly Currie. 

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Carlyle Celebrates A 2nd Period Goal.

The Cougars constant peppering of Combines' goaltender Ryan Kulyk would pay off early in the second period. After being absolutely robbed by Kulyk in the opening period, Carlyle captain Ben Johnstone would find the back of the net twice in a matter of minutes. The first goal came off a smooth end-to-end powerplay rush by Johnstone, ending in a sweet deke around the defenceman and quick shot past Kulyk to make it 2-0.

Minutes later, a bouncing puck near the crease found it's way to Johnstone who slapped in his second of the game to make it 3-0.

After several minutes without a goal, Carlyle would add to their lead on yet another powerplay as Kelly Currie blasted his second of the night home to make it 4-0.

Shortly thereafter, after a thunderous body check, two players dropped the mitts in the Combines' Duane Hislop and the Cougars' Troy Morisseau, bringing the crowd to its' feet with an entertaining tilt.

Then the Cougars' scored a backbreaking goal with just 20 seconds left in the second period, as Cooper Fox snapped home a quick shot to make it 5-0 after 40 minutes.

In the final frame, Brett Turgeon would add his first of the season for Carlyle and Josh Hohn made only three more saves to preserve a 27-save shutout and finsih the game off with a 6-0 victory.

Hohn added an assist to go with his shutout, while Johnstone led all scorers on the night with four points (2G, 2A).

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Duane Hislop (left, Combines) & Troy Morriseau (right, Cougars) Drop The Mitts On Friday.

HUSKIES AND WHEAT KINGS BURN OUT THE LAMPS IN OXBOW

While no details from Friday's game are available yet, it's easy to surmise that it wasn't a great night for the goaltenders in Oxbow.

The Huskies and Wheat Kings combined for 15 goals on opening night, with Oxbow edging out Yellow Grass in an 8-7 slugfest.