The Yorkton Terriers racked up another three-win week in the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League to continue leading the league's Sherwood Conference.
The Terriers sit with a record of 19-8-1-3 for 42 points, 11 better than the Estevan Bruins, who do hold five games in-hand on Yorkton.
Kindersley sits third with 28 points, followed by Weyburn with 27, Melville 25 and Notre Dame 23.
Terrier head coach Trent Cassan said the wins are coming because the Terriers are working as a team.
"I just feel the guys hold each other accountable," he said. " Games when we win everybody has bought in."
Cassan said buying in has meant doing the things that are not always easy, taking a hit to make a play, or going down to block shots to help out defensively.
Cassan has also stayedon course in terms of rolling four lines.
"Everyone feels a part of it," he said, adding using everybody is important, especially at this point of the season. " We're still only half-way through the season. We're still developing our young guys.
They're only going to get better if you play them in different situations."
The key moving forward is keeping the Terriers on course.
"There's going to be ups and downs," said Cassan.
"We don't want to get complacent or arrogant. It's such a long year."
The three wins included a win on Farrell Agencies Arena ice Saturday over the visiting Kindersley Klippers.
The Terriers held period leads of 2-1, 3-2 and 4-2 in earning the win, a win which gave Terrier netminder Devin Peters his third win of the week after facing 29-shots.
Only Andrew Dommett proved better than Peters Saturday, netting both Klipper goals.
Dommett's two-goal effort was mirrored by Terrier Davis Vandane who scored Yorkton's first and last goal of the evening, sandwiching markers by Robbie Ciolfi and Clarke Breitkreuz.
Vandane said the two goals were nice to get as he settles in with the Terriers.
"When I got cut there (the Western Hockey League), it was tough. You don't want to get sent down," he said, adding that getting some points on a team having success made the transition easier. " It's good to comeback to a first place team that has a chance to win every night."
Vandane added that returning to his hometown helped too.
"I always grew up wanting to play for the Terriers," he said.
As for the goals Saturday, Vandane said the first one was a mystery. "I have no idea how it went in, but it did."
The second goal Vandane said he had more time to plan, going high with his shot.
"I always like to shoot blocker side," he said, adding getting it up was a key to the goal.
Vandane said scoring certainly helps him get into his anticipated role on the team.
"I was hoping that was the role I would be playing. It feels great to get the confidence to shoot the puck," he said.
Vandane is part of a defensive core Cassan said has been solid in allowing only four goals in three games on the week.
"The thing about the 'D' is they're making the simple plays. They're not over handling the puck," he said, adding that showed again against the Klippers.
Cassan said defencemen such as Kelly Leismeister and Kurtis Decker have become somewhat unheralded leaders on the team.
"They don't show up on the score sheet very much, but they're very valuable parts of our defence," he said. "Kelly blocks a lot of shots Kurtis is pretty steady back there.
"If the older guys are calm and composed back there it does rub off on the other guys."
Thursday win
The Weyburn Red Wings visited Yorkton Thursday with the host Terriers rolling to a 5-1 win.
The Terriers held period leads of 2-0 and 5-0 before the Wings broke Devin Peters shut-out bid with a powerplay marker midway through the third. Peters faced 29 shots in taking the victory.
Clarke Breitkreuz and Craig Eisenhut scored in the first for the Terriers, with Breitkreuz, Brent Struble and Riley Patterson adding the second period markers.
Big win in Estevan
The Terriers were in Estevan last Tuesday (Nov. 23) to face the Bruins who chase Yorkton in the standings.
The game was a close one throughout.
Zak Majkowski and Keon Vick scored in the first to give Yorkton a 2-0 after 20-minutes.
The second was scoreless, with the Bruins getting a goal from Justin Waskewitch 6:49 into the third to draw within one, but Devin Peters in the Terrier net would not allow another goal to hold onto the 2-1 win. Peters faced 39-shots in earning the win.
Former Terrier Joel Danyluk took the loss in the Bruin net facing 26-shots.
Cassan said the win in Estevan was obviously a big win.
"It was a good solid road win," he said, adding Peters and the defence were very steady in the game.
"The guys blocked a lot of shots."
Up next
The Terriers were scheduled to host Battlefords at the Farrell Agencies Arena Tuesday (last night), but results were not available at press time.
This weekend Yorkton, and the rest of the SJHL, play games associated with the League's Showcase event. Saturday Yorkton faces Melfort and then play Flin Flon Sunday.
