The Yorkton Terriers have started the new Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League season on a winning note with a 5-2 win on Farrell Agencies ice Saturday over visiting Weyburn.
Weyburn struck early in the first with a goal by Ryley Hengen, but a short-handed effort by Robbie Ciolfi in his first game with the Terriers tied the game sending the teams to the dressing room deadlocked 1-1 after 20-minutes.
The Red Wings had the only goal of the second by Shawn Cowie.
The third however was the Terriers' period as they pumped in four unanswered goals for the win. Zak Majkowski, Drew McDermott, Clarke Breitkreuz and Riley Paterson all scored for Yorkton. Ciolfi, who missed preseason action said it was just good to get back in action after two-and-a-half weeks, although he added he was "huffing and puffing at first," but found his legs as the game wore on. The former Western Hockey League player said it was pretty straight forward to get back into a game situation. "The first couple of shifts you get hit or give a hit, you get into the game pretty quick," he said.
Getting an early goal helps too.
"It's good for confidence building," he said, adding the goal came off a nice pass from Breitkreuz.Looking ahead to the rest of the season Ciolfi said on a personal level he wants "to try to average a point a game."
He added more importantly he wants to help the Terriers "win it all this year."
The Terriers played a spirited first period, but seemed to get back on their heels a bit in the second. Terrier head coach Trent Cassan said in the second intermission he talked to the team about "pressing too hard." He said at times the Terriers seemed to be trying to do too much. "We were taking ourselves out of scoring areas without knowing it."
Cassan said sometimes it's a case of taking a step back and recognizing what is happening in a game."At times we were working hard, but weren't working smart," he said.
There were times the Terrier team speed was a factor, and Cassan said they hope that is an asset this season
"It's one of the things we want to play on, an up tempo style to keep teams back on their heels," he said. He added there are some players on the roster who, when "given some open ice can take advantage of it."
The Terriers did get a boost with the return of Breitkreuz from the WHL.
Cassan said his experience is a definite asset.
"He competes hard and he's intense," he said. The Terriers still have several extra players in town, but Cassan admitted after a convincing win it will be hard to work the sitting players into the next game tonight in Melfort.
"The guys tonight made it very hard on us to make tough decisions," he said.
Cassan said players did what they needed to Saturday.
Up next:The Terriers host Kindersley Thursday at the Farrell Agencies Arena, then have Nipawin visit Saturday.
