Terriers vs Mills series starts Friday

The Highway 10 rivalry will be front and centre as the Yorkton Terriers and Melville Millionaires start a playoff series Friday.

The two Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League teams will be opponents in one of the league's Sherwood Conference semi final series.

The Terriers finished second in the Conference with a record of 33-20-2 for 71 points, five back of first place Weyburn.

Melville sat third based in a record of 29-21-4 for 66 points.

On offence the Mills scored 213 regular season goals, second best in the Conference behind Weyburn compared to 198 for Yorkton, fourth best in the Sherwood.

Ian McNulty led the Mills in scoring with 39-goals and 86 points, third best in the SJHL.

Zak Majkowski was the Terriers best, with 19-goals and 55-points, tied for 16th in the league.

Defensively the Terriers allowed a Conference lowest 162-goals, while the Mills allowed 192, third best among Sherwood teams.

Warren Shymko led Terrier goaltenders appearing in 31-games with a record of 18-11, and a 2.46 goals against average, third best in the SJHL.

Millionaire Alex Wakaluk was 13-10 with a 2.97 GAA, eighth best in the league, just ahead of teammate Blake Voth who was 16-11 with a 3.05 GAA.

Melville head coach and general manager Jamie Fiesel said the teams are very evenly matched heading into the series.

"We're so close," said Fiesel, adding as evidence "we've won in each other's building."

Fiesel said the Millionaires and Terriers are always competitive, but winning in the opposition's barn is a bit unusual between the teams. He said in their case the team is getting used to the new arena in Melville, and so they aren't feeling the advantage as keenly as with the old Stadium.

The Millionaires have had a rough season with injuries including missing several players down the stretch.

As far as who will skate in the series starting Friday, a week previous the Melville coach said "it's a little early to tell," adding they do expect "to get some guys back," but not likely everyone.

Fiesel said the team battled injuries early in the season, adding "I really thought we'd be out of that," by playoff time, but that is not the case.

One player not expected back is defenceman Tyson Newell who exemplifies the Millionaires woes.

"That's been the problem this year it's been impact guys for us, who have been injured."

Newell is the SJHL's top scoring defenceman with 10-goals and 54 points, and is a plus-19 with the team.

"He can't be out of the line-up and say you're not going to miss him," said Fiesel.

Sean Aschim was another late season injury, and while expected back for the start of the series, Fiesel said he too is an example of the hurdles the team has had to overcome this season with the forward managing only eight regular season games after returning from the Western Hockey League.

The Terriers finished the regular season with players on the sidelines too, and as of Monday Terrier head coach Trent Cassan was not sure who might make it back into action by Friday.

"We'll know Friday night," he said, adding he is hoping most players are ready to go, "but I can't say for sure, although I think it's doubtful."

If players are not ready to go, Cassan said he likes the Terriers depth.

"I think that's why regular seasons has to be good for us," he said, adding he has used players in varying roles throughout the year. As a result if the line-up is adjusted because of injuries they're not being asked to do something in the playoffs they have not done in the regular season.

"We did put guys into different situations. That's what I like about our team, they've played in a lot of different situations. So when it comes down to a crucial time they've had that experience and they have some confidence they can do it."

So what will the series come down to?

Fiesel said the teams are different, but both are effective.

The Melville coach said the Terriers may not have one explosive line, like they do, led by Russell Trudeau with 54 points in 42 games, but the Terriers "have depth" on offence he said.

On defence the Mills are bigger, said Fiesel.

"The Terries are smaller on the back end but they move the puck really well," he said, adding "We have bigger guys but we struggle in our own end at times."

Cassan said it could be the little things which are the difference, and those are what the team has been working on in earnest in the two weeks leading up to the series.

As an example the Terrier coach noted, "face offs are a big thing in a playoff series."

So is "play at the start and end of periods," said Cassan. "A goal scored early in a period, or late in a period, gives or takes more momentum away based on their timing."

Fiesel said with two teams so closely matched it will be a case of minimizing mistakes.

"I think the whole series comes down to execution," he said. "I think it will be very close."

Certainly the teams should be ready for each other.

Fiesel said the two teams have more, or less known for a month they would meet in the playoffs.

"We've basically been fighting for home ice," he said.

Cassan said they have certainly seen the Mills often this year, not just in head-to-head action, but on scouting trips south because Melville often plays the same teams on the same weekends as the Terriers.

"So you kind of pick up some systems and tendencies," he said, adding the bigger elements of a game should be well-understood by this point in the season. "At this point in the year the X's and O's should be habit for guys now, and good habits for guys too."

That said executing the X's and O's remains important.

"I think we're going to have to work pretty hard for the scoring opportunities," said Cassan. "You'll have to be an opportunist."

Opportunities mean scoring with a man advantage.

"In any playoff series powerplays are big," said Cassan, adding so too is the penalty kill. " Teams feed off a good powerplay more than a powerplay sometimes.

"Usually special teams are a really big factor."

Game one could be a key with both teams coming off the long break while the Survivor Series was played out.

Fiesel said if a team comes out flat in the first game it could start a snowball effect in terms of momentum for the other team. He said he is hoping the time off will play to the Millionaires favour, reducing the influence of home ice in the opener Friday.

Fiesel would like to steal the opener.

"If we can win the first game the pressure is on Yorkton," he said, adding the Millionaires head into the series as perceived underdogs.

Cassan is not focusing extra attention on Game One.

"We're both in the same situation in terms of days off," he said, adding even with the lay-off he'd "rather have four games at home than three in a series."

The Terriers also like the Farrell Agencies of Arena of late.

"Since Christmas time we've had a very good record on home ice," said Cassan.

"Nobody really believes in us. We've underachieved all years. We didn't get 30-wins. We didn't get second place," he said.

Getting on a roll is usually important when the rivals meet, said Fiesel.

"It's usually been a momentum series," he said, adding that ultimately it is likely to be a long series, with ups and downs for both teams.

Cassan at least agrees on the expected length of the semi final.

"You can expect a long series," he said.

Schedule

Friday, March 2 in Yorkton

Saturday, March 3 in Melville

Monday, March 5 in Yorkton

Wednesday, March 7 in Melville

Friday, March 9 in Yorkton (if necessary)

Saturday, March 10 in Melville (if necessary)

Monday, March 12 in Yorkton (if necessary)