The Yorkton Harvest were gunning for their second straight win of the season.
It didn't happen.
It looked like it might for 40 minutes and then the penalty parade started and the Harvest chances for another win went out the door with it.
"Special teams," insists Jeff Odgers, head coach of the Yorkton AAA hockey team, pointing to the scoresheet, showing that five of the Blackhawks' six goals came on the power play Saturday night in Yorkton.
One of them came shorthanded.
The Harvest started out the week on the right note, says Odgers, after goaltender Spencer Bomboir posted his first shutout in Midget AAA play, a 1-0 win over the Regina Pat Canadians on home ice.
"It was a well-played game," Odgers says. "We played well. It was an unbelievable game by Spencer."
Yorkton's Dakota Odgers recorded the game's lone goal as Lynnden Pastachak and Jeffrey Ness had the game's only assists.
Bomboir stopped all 24 shots he faced, according to coach Odgers, he had his share of tests that night.
"Both teams had their chances," he said. "It wasn't wide open. Our goaltender made the saves."
The win gave Yorkton their eighth point of the season. It also sent them into the weekend with a little more confidence, as they were paired up with the Beardy's Blackhawks for back-to-back games played here Saturday and Sunday.
In Saturday's game, Beardy's struck first, and early, on a Yorkton power play.
Said Odgers, it was not the way his team was looking to challenge the league's top club.
"It came down to special teams," he said, following Yorkton's 6-3 loss, pointing out that the above goal was scored with their own man in the penalty box. Elliot Peterson got in alone on the Yorkton goal and beat Teryn Phanuef to the five-hole at the 18:43 mark of the game's opening period.
Yorkton's Taylor Clark didn't waste much time getting that one back when he and Levi Morin completed a pretty passing play, leaving Blackhawks goaltender Regan Santoro flat on his stomach to watch the puck trickle past him.
Kody Thue also drew an assist on the tying goal.
Beardy's would score two more before the end of the period. Brett Boehm and Braden Oleksyn tallied to put the visitors up 3-1 heading into the first intermission.
Yorkton outscored Beardy's 2-1 in the second period. Nicholas Pouliot and Yanni Mamais both scored within five minutes in the second period. Jaryd Watson, however, would restore the Blackhawks lead as the teams would head back to the dressing rooms with Beardy's holding a 4-3 advantage.
Oleksyn and Ryan Pilon both scored insurance markers for the Blackhawks, and both came with Yorkton skaters in the penalty box. Each Blackhawk goal, except the second goal, was scored on a power play.
Odgers said the third frame took its toll on the team because they spent eight of 20 minutes serving penalties. They also had four penalties in each of the first two periods.
Odgers said it wasn't a case of them getting outworked in the period, but mores spending so much time in the box.
"Not really," he said. "We took some penalties in the third" and that's what cost us.
Players in the Saskatchewan Midget AAA Hockey League are getting called for head contact, five calls were made against Yorkton and four were called against the Blackhawks. Odgers noted that players who engage in fighting "get suspended".
He said as long as his team can stay out of the box, he'll be happy with the results.
"Five on five, I'm happy," he said following Saturday's game.
The two teams met again on Sunday, a game Odgers said he hopes to improve the penalty kill.
Yorkton scored one goal in each period and won 3-2. Beardy's opened up a 2-0 lead by the middle mark of the first period. Jaden Kreklewich cut the lead to 2-1 going into the first intermission. Josh Lees drew the lone assist. Both Blackhawks goals came from Brett Boehm.
In the second period, Jeffrey Ness tied the game from Jake and Blake McMillen, the goal came on the power play.
Tanner Lesann scored what turned out to be the winning goal at 15:20 of the third period. Jake and Blake McMillen each drew assists for their second each of the game. Both Yorkton goals also came on the power play.
Goaltender Bomboir got the win in net, stopping 32 of 34 shots.
