The Yorkton Terriers had another huge week, notching three wins in three games.
Last Tuesday, they wrapped up a stretch of nine games in-a-row on the road with a shut-out win in Wilcox, then took two wins at the Farrell Agencies Arena in their first home action in a month..
The wins raised the Terriers' record to 15-7-1-2 for 33 points, and top spot in the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League's Sherwood Conference. Estevan sits second with 28 points, and four games in-hand on Yorkton. Kindersley is third with 24 points, followed by Weyburn with 23 points, Melville has 21, and Notre Dame 19..
The home ice wins started Friday night in a battle with the second place Bruins..
The Terriers started early when Robbie Ciolfi beat former Terrier goaltender Joel Danyluk 19 seconds into the game..
Brent Struble would also score in the opening frame, giving Yorkton a 2-1 lead after 20-minutes. Mark Cross scored for Estevan..
Struble and Brenden Poncelet added Terrier goals in the second, as the Bruins were held at bay, giving Yorkton a 4-1 lead headed to the third period..
Troy Hunter and Taylor Epp both scored in the first five-minutes of the third for the Bruins to shrink the Terrier lead to one goal, before Brennan Tutt added a fifth Yorkton goal to give the home team some breathing room..
Ryan Andersen scored at 12:59 to once again make it a one goal game, but that would be it for scoring, as the Terriers held on for a 5-4 win..
Devin Peters took the win in the Terrier net facing 26 shots..
Saturday Notre Dame was in Yorkton for a game which was tight through 40-minutes, but ended in an 8-2 Yorkton win.
Davis Vandane gave the Terriers a 1-0 lead 45-seconds into the first period..
The teams would trade goals through the first, with Trevor Milner and Carson Grolla scoring for the Hounds and Ciolfi adding a second for the Terriers. In the second the Terriers made it 4-2 on goals by Craig Eisenhut and Struble..
Then in the third the Terriers buried the Hounds piling on four additional unanswered goals for an 8-2 final..
Tutt, Majkowski, Ciolfi and Keven Cann were the Terrier marksmen in the third..
Peters faced 28-shots in the Terrier nets for the win..
When asked about the win Terrier head coach Trent Cassan summed it up simply. "I'm happy-yep," he said.
The Terriers had a definite killer instinct Saturday, putting the Hounds away as the game progressed, and not allowing them back in the game like they had the Bruins a night earlier.
"We talked about that. We didn't want any sense of complacency," said Cassan.
The night was a big one from Struble who added four assists to his goal for a five-point game.
"The points are starting to come for me," he said following the game, adding "I've been working hard, trying to stay positive."
The idea of hard work and positive thinking is one Struble said the Terriers are focused on this season, including Saturday evening when the Hounds proved pesky early.
"They out worked us the first period," he said, adding Notre Dame had a decided shot advantage in the opening stanza.
But the Terriers didn't break.
"We try and stay positive all the time," offered Struble.
Cassan agreed the Terriers' opening period was not their best.
"I thought the first period they outworked us. After that we turned it around," he said, adding he felt the team "learned a lesson" from Friday night's affair. " I thought we did a good job in the third period putting the team away."
Struble's own success he credited his linemates with. He has been on the Terriers top line in the absence of Clarke Breitkreuz, who is off playing in the World Junior 'A' Challenge. He said playing with Ciolfi and Eisenhut has certainly been as asset.
Struble will likely change lines as Breitkreuz returns, but he feels he can take some things with him from his time on the top line.
"I can take the confidence with me. I got a lot of confidence the last couple of games," he said.Cassan was asked if Breitkreuz's return could upset the lines which have been effective of late. He said he did not anticipate problems.
"Breitkreuz, he's a big time player, and he's a key player for us. A player of Clarke's calibre is a very dynamic player," he said.
At the same time, Cassan said it is good to see Struble getting points. He noted even with the points he was "still playing a good two-way game."
As for the points, Cassan said they come to Struble based on a willingness to do what it takes to be successful.
"Most of his goals come from hard work in front (of the net), not perimeter shots," he said. "He pays the price to get goals."
Shut out win
Last Tuesday, Warren Shymko backstopped the Terriers to a win in Wilcox over the Hounds, recording his first SJHL shut out in the 3-0 victory. He faced 23-shots in the win.
Zak Majkowski and Craig Eisenhut, with a short-handed effort, gave Yorkton a 2-0 lead in the first period, and Brent Struble added one in the second to account for the Terrier goals.
Up next
The Terriers were scheduled to host Nipawin last night (Tuesday) at the Farrell Agencies Arena, but results were not available at press time.
This weekend, the Highway 10 rivalry, round two, takes place with the second home-and-home set of the season. On Friday, the teams face off in Melville, and then the Millionaires come back to Yorkton for action Saturday night.
The teams split the first set of the season, each winning in the other's barn.
Next Tuesday, Yorkton plays another big game, visiting Estevan who chase them in the standings.
