The Yorkton Harvest AAA Midget hockey team opened up their exhibition season over the weekend with a pair of matches, one at home at the Gallagher Centre with the Tisdale Trojans Saturday, followed by a road trip to the Queen City to take on the Regina Pat Canadians.
The Harvest scored the first two goals of the preseason Saturday, unfortunately, the Trojans scored the next two goals and overtime solved absolutely nothing as the teams skated to a 2-2 tie in front of a good crowd at the arena.
More importantly, insisted head coach Jeff Odgers, was a chance for the Harvest staff to evaluate the handful of players who are not guaranteed a spot on this year's Harvest roster.
"It's a chance to see how kids adapt to certain situations. There's a lot less time to adapt to certain situations (at this level). I think we will battle all game," explains Odgers.
With last year's netminder Kale Thomson currently testing his abilities with the Junior 'A' Yorkton Terriers, there will be at least one opening for some other goaltender to step up and fill that void. Among them are Spencer Bomboir, Scott Shivak and Haiden Block.
"I thought both were good," says Odgers. "It's always good to play them," he noted of the two who haven't played AAA in Yorkton.
"There's jobs available," he said.
Other players trying to secure spots on the team are Rylan Badduke, Jeremy Shackleton, Kyle Ulmer and Landon Nichol.
"I think we will battle all game long," observed Odgers following the team's first test of the season.
Yorkton got off to a favourable start in the contest. Newcomer Ryley Stefanyshyn, who had been signed from his former team, the Midget 'AA' Terriers, was the first to get his name on the scoresheet, drawing first blood at 11:51 of the opening period with an unassisted goal. Three minutes later, Dustin Minto made it 2-0 Yorkton from Roderick Sewap.
Bomboir started the game in goal for the Harvest and Block was called on to play the second half.
Bomboir stopped 16 shots while Block blocked 18 in the tie.
The following day in Regina (Sept. 12), the Harvest met the Pat Canadians at the White City Communiskate Centre.
The teams combined for 10 goals in the opening period alone but Regina scored three more in the last two periods to skate away with an 8-5 victory.
All of Yorkton's goals came amidst a barrage of goals in the opening period and four of them came on special teams; two of which came while playing shorthanded.
With players on the team still competing for roster spots on this year, newcomers to score included Badduke who had a goal and one assist, Ben Johnstone had one goal, Dustin Minto had one assist, and Stefanyshyn had two goals.
Goaltending duties were split by Scott Shivak and Haiden Block.
Both teams were perfect on the power play, Yorkton was 2-2 and Regina was 1-1.
Yorkton's next set of preseason tests comes this weekend when they play at home to Regina and play in Tisdale.
The home game goes Sept. 19 at 2 p.m. against Regina, an on Saturday (Sept. 18) at Tisdale at 8 p.m.
HARVEST FUNDRAISERThe Yorkton Harvest will hold their 1st Annual NHL Fantasy Hockey Draft on Oct. 3 at 5:30 p.m., in the Wellington West Room of the Gallagher Centre (immediately following the Yorkton Harvest 2010-11 home opener).
There will be a maximum of 25 teams (no more than four people per team) and cost per team is $200. Your entry fee includes supper and the top three finishers will get cash prizes.
First place will receive 40 per cent of the total monies collected on the entry fees, so if we sell out at 25 teams, first prize will be $2000.
NAME CHANGEThe Saskatchewan Midget AAA club based out of Moose Jaw has changed its name for the upcoming season. The Warriors are now under the name Generals.
