The two best senior hockey teams in the province square off tonight in the quest for the Herder, but already there is controversy.

The Conception Bay South Blues and defending champ Deer Lake Red Wings hook up in game one tonight in Kelligrews, but the Blues, who are in their first Herder final, are concerned about a decision to allow the Wings to add pickups to strengthen their team.

The Avalon East champs say they only found out about the decision a few days ago, weeks after the final rosters were set.

Blues general manager Jonathan Kavanagh says Hockey Newfoundland and Labrador has given no rationale as to why it made such a decision, even though the team asked for such information shortly after learning of the decision.

He disagrees with management personnel of the Red Wings who say it’s a way of balancing things out as the east has a larger player pool from which to select.

Kavanagh says because of that decision, Deer Lake can fly in three professional hockey players for the series, including a goaltender who played in the NHL only a couple of years ago.