The Yorkton Terriers have had a week full of ups and downs. The past week has brought them three games resulting in an overtime loss, two overtime wins and a lot of penalty minutes. All that excitement leaves them still clawing for that sixth place spot in the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League with only three games left in the regular season.
It all started off at the Farrell Agencies Arena last Tuesday, Feb. 14, when the Kindersley Klippers visited. It was an exciting game that was high in penalty minutes, fights and goals. It ended after an overtime period, and the Terriers took the win.
After the first period, the game was tied at one. Jared Legien snatched the first goal for the Terriers, with the assist from Shane Sherban, nearing the 20-minute mark.
After the second period of play, the Terriers led the game 4-2. Second period goals came from Dakota Odgers, Dexter Robinson and Jared Legien. But the highlight of the second period may have been in the last two minutes of play, when Kaleb Bell shed his gloves and fought with the Klippers’ Josh Fletcher. Both players got the boot from the game for fighting, but the crowd seemed to appreciate the show as they yelled, cheered and banged on the glass around it.
The third period is when the Klippers caught up and pushed the game into overtime.
In the OT period, it took less than 90 seconds for Jordan Ross to score off a nice pass from Corwin Stevely, stemming from Tyler Baier. The final score was 5-4.
A few days later on Friday, Feb. 17, the Klippers and the Terriers would do it again at the FAA.
Another overtime period, the same final score, but this time the game ended in favour of the Klippers.
The first period saw a goal from the Klippers, but none from the Terriers.
But Yorkton would catch up in the second, when Tyler Baier and Dakota Odgers each scored to push the Terriers up 2-1. That lead was not long lived, as Kindersley scored another two before the end of the second period.
The third period saw two goals from the Terriers – one from Evan Werle and one from Jared Legien. The score was 4-3, and it looked like the Terriers were going to take the win. Then, with 30 seconds left on the clock, the Klippers would find a way to slip the puck past Terriers’ goalie Nathan Hargrave, tying the game and sending it into overtime.
The Klippers got the winning goal in the overtime period, which secured them the win.
After the game, the Terriers coaching staff was not thrilled with the outcome of the two games that week against the Klippers.
“Three out of four points is good, but we really let this one slip away tonight,” said assistant coach Mat Hehr. “We fought discipline a lot tonight. We took too many penalties and it ended up costing us two power play goals.”
Since it is the home stretch of the season, Hehr said the little things are what count from here on out.
“We need to really focus on the [defensive] zone, and we need to tweak a few things heading into playoffs. We need to try to gain some momentum.”
On Monday night, the Terriers played what was the most important game of their season this far – a must win against the Weyburn Red Wings.
The Red Wings are neck and neck with the Terriers to claim the sixth place spot. The past few weeks has been a back and forth battle between them, and the Notre Dame Hounds.
It was yet another overtime game. But, it ended with a final score of 2-1 for the Terriers. This win pushed them into that sixth place spot, ahead of both the Red Wings and the Hounds.
The regulation time ended with a score of 1-1. The Terriers’ one goal was scored by Corwin Stevely, with the assists from Jordan Ross and McKenzie Welke.
In overtime, Jordan Ross got the game-winning goal off of assists from Tyler Baier and Shane Sherban.
Nathan Hargrave recorded the huge win in net for the Terriers. The Red Wings outshot the Terriers 41-18.
“We had a great performance by Hargrave tonight in a great team win,” said assistant coach Hehr. “He was a rock back there for us.”
Hehr said it was a gritty, exciting road win, and the Terriers’ penalty kill may have won them the game.
“It was a big game. Playing one of the teams we are battling with in the standings always brings a playoff atmosphere, especially with such few games remaining,” said Hehr. “We have some time off now to reset, and then start preparing for a big game versus Estevan next week.”
That game will be next Tuesday, Feb. 28 at the Farrell Agencies Arena. The puck will drop at 7:30 p.m., and it will be another must-win for the Yorkton Terriers, if they want to hold on to that sixth place spot.
