The Yorkton Terriers recorded three wins on the week.
The trio of victories raised the Terriers Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League record to 15-11-0-1 and 31 points, leaving the team sitting fourth in the league's Sherwood Conference.
Weyburn leads the Conference with 39 points, Melville second with 33 points, and Estevan third with 32.
Notre Dame sits fifth with 21 points, with Kindersley in the basement with 17.
Two of the week's wins came over Yorkton's arch rivals.
The Terriers and Melville Millionaires met for a home-and-home set this week, the second such set of the season.
The Millionaires won both games in the earlier set, and the Terriers returned the favour this week winning 6-3 in Melville Friday and 5-1 at the Farrell Agencies Arena in Yorkton.
Friday the Terriers enjoyed period leads of 1-0, 3-2 and 6-3, as six different players had Yorkton goals; Nathan Murray, Tayler Thompson, Keven Cann, Kyle McLeod, Brent Struble and Riley Paterson.
Warren Shymko had the win in the Terrier net facing 38-shots.
Russell Trudeau had two of the shots to elude the Yorkton goaltender, with Michael Sagen adding the third Millionaire goal.
Saturday in Yorkton the game was close early, as the teams were tied 1-1 after 20-minutes, as Struble scored for Yorkton and Trudeau responded for Melville.
Johnson, Majkowski, Curtis Oliver and Ryon Sookro would add the other Terrier markers.
Shymko again had the win facing 27-shots.
Shymko said the Terriers are a different team today than when they met in early October, in particular with the return of veterans Brent Struble and Kelly Leismeister.
Terrier head coach Trent Cassan said the team has matured in the weeks between games against the Millionaires.
"I think for a lot of our guys that was the first involvement in a real big rivalry (in October)," he said, adding that those players couldn't "get experience" without playing in those type of games.
The experience gained showed on the weekend, said Cassan.
The Terrier goaltender added the team was also on top of its game throughout both games. He said the team even talked about it in the dressing room after the second game, noting they outplayed the Mills in five of the six periods.
"We got the four points," said Shymko, terming the two wins "huge" in respect to signaling the rest of the league the Terriers are on the top of their game.
"We're coming," he warned.
The wins were ones where the offensive effort really made the wins easier for Shymko.
"You should win hockey games when you get five goals," he said.
The offence has really begun to click, scoring 17 in three games this week.
It has helped having Tyler Giebel and Tayler Thompson adding depth after returning from the Western Hockey League.
"Get those guys back you get a little spark," said Shymko, adding the two players are obviously talented.
"They were in the WHL for a reason."
Cassan said the depth is certainly an asset for a team which likes to roll four lines and six defenceman.
"We want to keep improving and hit our stride in the second half and playoffs," he said, adding "to get to the playoffs you've got to have depth."
Relying on a single line often does not work because if that line has an off night, or is checked closely, the team can struggle, said Cassan.
The rolling of lines certainly worked for the Terriers through November, as the team captured 15 of a possible 18 points.
"Six of those games were on the road," noted Cassan, adding that as a team they want to remain humble, but they are playing well.
Wednesday win
The Terriers hosted Kindersley last Wednesday taking a 2-1 lead after 20-minutes, trading lone second period goals, and then rolling to a 6-3 win.
The Terriers had goals from Tayler Thompson, Kyle McLeod, Jeremy Johnson, Riley Paterson, and Zak Majkowski with a pair.
Kale Thomson had the win in the Terrier net facing 26-shots.
Brennan Bosovich led the Klippers with a pair, while David Haaf added one.
Cut down
The SJHL hits one of the key roster dates of the season Dec. 1, the date the team must be down to only 25-cards for players.
The Terriers currently have 25 players in the city (as of Saturday), and Cassan said teams typically hold two or three cards open in case someone filters back from the WHL, or they can make a trade, and need cards for the arriving players.
"It's the tough part of the job," said Cassan, adding the players in town are all "real good kids."
That said Cassan said "a couple of guys have to be placed in other places."
That "other place" is likely to be Junior 'B' with the Ochapowace Thunder and former Terrier assistant coach Danny McKay.
"Dan and I are very good friends when we worked with each other, and are still very good friends," said Cassan, admitting the Thunder "could be a good fit for one, or two guys."
Cassan added that a player going to Junior 'B' is not giving up a chance to play Junior 'A', noting Keven Cann and Jeremey Johnson were both Thunder players last season, and Ryon Sookro is 20, and in his first Junior 'A' season.
"It didn't eliminate than from playing Junior 'A'," said Cassan, adding Junior 'B' can be an opportunity for more ice time and development.
The Terriers do have three goaltenders still in the city, but Cassan said that situation does not necessarily mean one of those will automatically be sent somewhere else.
"It's not the ideal situation for the three of them," he said, adding there are "a couple of scenarios that could play out," in terms of the Terriers goaltending.
Up next
The Terriers have five days off before hitting the ice Saturday hosting Battlefords at the Farrell Agencies Arena Saturday and Estevan Sunday for a rare 6 p.m. start.
