The Yorkton Harvest returned home after a five-game road swing that saw them make stops at Notre Dame, North Battleford and Tisdale, but there were no welcome mats waiting to greet them upon arrival at their home arena over the weekend.
Saturday's game was the first of two that the Harvest would host the Saskatchewan Midget AAA Hockey League's third-place club, the Moose Jaw Generals.
The Generals skated to a 4-3 win Saturday and a 4-1 win on Sunday afternoon.
Graham Garrett, head coach of the Harvest, wasn't happy about how his team played in either game."Yesterday we weren't prepared to play the first period. Today we weren't prepared to play the second period."
Garrett obviously wasn't pleased that his team mustered up only three shots on net in that first period, while the Generals capitalized on two of their 13 shots in that same opening period.
"They guys just didn't communicate," he said. "On paper, they're a lot better team then us."
Going up against one of the league's top three clubs in the standings, Yorkton put together 11 shots in the second period and seven in the third period.
That translated into three goals, however the Generals had three of their own in the third for the win.Kade Halabuza scored on the power play for the only goal of the second period, while Levi Cable and Dustin Skilliter tallied in the third; Skilliter's came on the power play.
Assists went to John Odgers, Kody Thue, Cable, Skilliter, Devan Fafard.
Garrett said his team's poor showing over the past three weeks means they don't qualify for this year's national Midget AAA championships known as the Mac's tournament. The Harvest were represented last season and the season before, but Garrett notes that each of those seasons, Yorkton hasn't fared well during those months.
He said that getting back on track is going to take more than changing lines around, but didn't pinpoint what will be done.
For Sunday's rematch with the Generals, Garrett said it was another case of the team not showing up for three full periods and added that after his team scored the game's first goal, the communication fell apart.Skilliter, who is the first-year team captain insisted that they didn't come ready to play and the numbers on the scoreboard showed it.
He said it didn't feel different playing at home again for the first time since Oct. 17, but after teammate Gervais opened the scoring early in the first period "we just let our guard down."
Our team focus has to be a lot better."
He pointed out that the team has always had enough skill to win the games.
In Sunday's match, Moose Jaw won in shots on goal, 34-33, despite the Harvest getting 17 in the final period.
Yorkton had a strong first period with 10, but let up too much in the second, with only six.
