Wins remain elusive for the RawTec AAA Midget Maulers.
On the weekend two more games went into the loss column as the Maulers hosted the Swift Current Legionnaires for a pair of games.
“The result wasn’t what we wanted,” said recently installed interim head coach Delane Lamb. “But we see our game getting closer to what we want it to be.”
Lamb said he was not expecting the team to turn things around overnight given their struggles so far this season.
“Baby steps is where we start,” he said, adding he does expect those baby steps will eventually lead to more significant strides.
Saturday the teams skated through a scoreless first period, but in the second the Legionnaires struck with goals by Hunter Larocque, Boston Bird and Mason Strutt, before Mason Ziola put Yorkton on the board with 39-sconds left on the clock.
In the third the teams would trade goals, with Brandr Fiske scoring for Yorkton 2:02 into the frame, and Christian Albertson finishing things for Swift Current with 3:23 remaining.
The teams would meet again Sunday on the same ice.
The Legionnaires again started things with Christian Albertson scoring a powerplay goal at 10:05 of the first period.
He would add a second goal later in the same frame to give the visitors a 2-0 lead through 20-minutes of play.
In the second Justin Broekel, Rylan Donald and Mason Ziola would all score to put the Maulers on top. Ziola’s go-ahead goal came at 18:90.
The Yorkton lead was short-lived as 10-seconds later Logan Linklater tied the contest for Swift Current.
In the third only one goal was scored. It came from the stick of Reed Jacobson to give the visiting Legionnaires the win.
The two losses leave the Maulers with a record of 2-21 for four points and the basement in the league standings, 10-points back of Moose Jaw in 11th spot. The Maulers host Moose Jaw for games this Saturday and Sunday.
The Saskatoon Blazers lead the loop with 39 points.
Asked if taking on Moose Jaw the first team they can track down in the standings puts any added pressure on the weekend set? Lamb said he didn’t look at it that way.
“I don’t think there’s any extra focus on any one game. I believe every game is important,” he said.
But, Lamb did admit “winning is always nice,” adding a win over Moose Jaw, even just one, would be good for the Maulers.
“It would be great to win one,” he said, then adding a touch of caution he noted he will be satisfied “as long as we’re doing the right things and progressing in the right direction.”
