The visiting Generals took four of a possible four points from Yorkton over the weekend, but the home side was able to salvage one point when Devin McGonigal tallied with four minutes to go in the third with Yorkton down, 3-2.
Jeff Odgers, head coach of the Yorkton Harvest suggested that if his team stayed out of the penalty box, one of the basement teams in the league would have taken down one of the top teams in the league.
The Moose Jaw Generals are now at 15-9 and are sitting in fourth place in the Saskatchewan Midget AAA Hockey League. Yorkton is at 7-19 with Sunday's 3-2 loss in overtime and are in second last.
The Battlefords Stars are alone in the basement with a 4-21 record.
Odgers voiced displeasure with his team's inability to stay out of the penalty box.
"We gave up three power play goals," he said following their second of two losses over the weekend.
"We spent a lot of time killing penalties. We should have beat them."
Yorkton took six penalty calls in the opening period alone.
He explained that despite the difference between the teams' placing in the league standings, Yorkton had good efforts in both home games with Moose Jaw, and they likely had some confidence going into them after rallying to beat Notre Dame at home a week ago today (Dec. 7).
HEAD CONTACT
On Sunday versus the Generals, Rhett Gardner got Moose Jaw going less than four minutes into the game with McGonigal in the penalty box for what would end up being the first of six penalties dished out for head contact. McGonigal was handed a double minor and Gardner made him pay with the game's opening goal.
Odgers told media the head contact penalties are "unacceptable" and seems to be a matter of players "relearning" the way the game is called.
Both teams were charged for head contact calls repeatedly.
Penalties also seemed to be the difference in Saturday night's encounter, the first of two matches with the Generals, says Odgers.
Despite being called for six penalties in the opening period alone, Yorkton managed to head to the dressing room with a 2-1 lead.
That came as a result of back-to-back Harvest goals in the last four minutes of the period.
Dakota Odgers tied the game at one while Blake McMillen sent one air mail top corner to give Yorkton their only lead of the game. Brodie Schuette and Kailum Gervais set up the Odgers marker.
Tanner Lesann and Brayden Park assisted on the go-ahead goal.
Both goals came with Generals skaters serving time in the penalty box.
Nothing good happened in the second period for the Harvest. With Park and Schuette both getting called for head contact, both were given double minors and the Generals cashed in for the game-tying goal and the go-ahead goal.
"Just penalties," says Odgers as to what helped the Generals get all possible points over the weekend.
The teams skated to the dressing room with Moose Jaw holding onto a 3-2 lead. McGonigal would even the affair late in the third. Yanni Mamais drew the lone assist.
Odgers said the Harvest felt pretty "good" about going into overtime, believing the team had every chance to win the game.
He said the Generals' Zach Douglas was the overtime scorer for the Generals.
In Saturday's game, Kailum Gervais' shorthanded goal late in the third period ended up being the lone Yorkton goal in a 4-1 loss, which saw them get outshot 43-25. Moose Jaw had 19 shots in the third period.
Last Wednesday, Yorkton came from behind to beat Notre Dame, 4-3.
Despite being badly outshot for the first of two games last week, including 16 shots in the first and third periods, managed to get the upper hand in the third, outscoring the Argos 2-0 in that period.
"I had no problem with the effort," says Odgers. Our power play picked it up."
Both Schuette and Dakota Odgers scored on the power play. Gervais and Jeffrey Ness drew assists on both goals.
Notre Dame's Austin Lightfoot gave his team a 3-2 lead, scoring the only goal of the second period.
Lees and Schuette both scored in the third, at even strength, tying the game and taking a 4-3 lead.
"It was a good battle," suggested coach Odgers.
NEXT ACTION
The Harvest play three games in the next 10 days, one at home and two on the road. Tonight (Dec. 14) they host the Regina Pat Canadians at the Farrell Agencies. Then they head out on the road to close out the 2011 portion of the season when they head to the Battlefords to take on the Stars at the North Battleford Civic Centre.
