WINNIPEG

The final game in a Manitoba junior hockey league's championship series turned ugly when a massive brawl broke out Saturday night at the Selkirk Recreation Complex.

The last game of the Keystone Junior Hockey League (Junior B) championship between the hometown Selkirk Fishermen and visiting Peguis Juniors looked more like a battle royale during the third period than a hockey game.

"I was absolutely disgusted in it. I couldn't believe that they (Peguis) would resort to this," said Fishermen head coach Chris Poponick.

"You have to keep in mind this isn't every player on the team, but a handful or so and who knows what kind of encouragement they were receiving. But they decided that this is how they wanted to finish things."

Wanna see the deadly fight, my kail doesn't have fb but she recorded Posted by Marcie Sinclair on Friday, April 10, 2015

As the Fishermen hoisted the championship trophy after a hard fought championship series that went the distance to seven games, the sight of blood-stained ice remained.

The teams began throwing punches, and a line brawl ensued that lead to referees calling an end to the game with 1:18 remaining in the third.

"After the first attempt to start fighting (at the 9:44 minute mark of the third)... I simply told my guys 'There is no need to run this thing up and try to get them to focus on just finishing this thing up,'" Poponick said. "I gave them clear instruction if someone wants to fight or jump you, just bring them in tight and hold on and wrestle with them because we didn't want anybody suspended."

Fans from both sides packed the arena and, as the referee and linesmen did their best to break up the two-minute brawl, a number of fans threw objects like drink bottles on the ice.

The penalty box for both teams during the third period was a revolving door as 242 minutes in penalties were dished out. During the third frame, Peguis incurred 23 penalties compared to Selkirk's 13.

"It got out of hand and I put it on the refs," Juniors head coach Farron Cochrane said. "I try to control my guys and there is only so much you can do."

League commissioner Rick Olson, who is also the director of Junior B hockey, was not available for comment.