The Red Deer Rustlers and Sylvan Lake Pirates are set to put their local rivalry on the line.
With both teams making their North Central Hockey League debuts this season, they will do battle in a first round best-of-five playoff series.
Game 1 of the playoff series is Saturday at the Gary W. Harris Canada Games Centre with puck drop at 12:30 p.m. and is free to attend.
Red Deer finished the regular season second with a 12-4-0-0 record, while the Pirates were seventh with a 3-10-0-3 mark.
Head-to-head, the Rustlers topped Sylvan Lake in both matchups, winning the first game 5-2 in October, before an 8-2 win on Dec. 21.
The Senior Rustlers’ first round #NCHL playoff series against the @sylvanpirates is set! Since it’s the very first playoff game for both teams, Game 1 is FREE for all fans, with a guaranteed $500 50/50 jackpot! Game 2 is free for all season ticket holders as well #SeniorRustlers pic.twitter.com/fBDiDLUnZw
— Red Deer Senior AA Rustlers (@RDSrAARustlers) January 22, 2019
The Rustlers ended the year with 61 goals for and 33 against, while the Pirates scored 65 and allowed 101.
Game 2 will be played Sunday, Jan. 27 at 7:30 p.m. at the Collicutt Centre.
Games 3 is slated for Feb. 2nd in Sylvan Lake and Game 4, if necessary will be Feb. 3 also in Sylvan Lake.
Email sports tips to Byron Hackett
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