It might have been a match-up between two of the biggest rivals in the SJHL, but you wouldn’t have known it in a New Year’s Day game which lacked intensity.
In fact the dreaded rivals put in such a mild meeting there was only a single minor penalty in the entire game; a somewhat questionable goaltender interference minor early in the third period.
The game started with a scoreless opening frame.
In the second the Millionaires came out on fire, out-shooting the home team 16-5, and popping a pair of goals. Jaden Kreklewich struck 8:48 into the second, with Keegan Milligan scoring at 19:01.
Kreklewich was back to score 1:44 into the third to make it 3-0, before Brandon Sookro put the Terriers on the board at 7:16.
That would be it for Yorkton, but Tyson Predinchuk would add a late goal for Melville to round out a 4-1 win for the visitors.
Clarke Flegel had the win in the Millionaires net facing 26-shots, while Matt Kustra took the loss for the Terriers facing 39-shots.
Terrier head coach Trent Cassan was not happy with the effort of his team New Year’s Day.
“Just the overall urgency level was not what it needed to be,” said Cassan.
And Cassan pointed to his veterans as needing to be more involved.
“Our older guys … they weren’t very good today,” he said. “… The older guys weren’t the leaders they needed to be.”
Cassan took part of the blame, noting it is up to coaches to help players achieve their best on the ice.
As it was, Cassan said the Terriers best line was Shane Sherban, Cole Keenleyside and Matthew Perkins.
“That’s good for them as a line,” said the Terrier coach, but said as a bigger picture situation a team shouldn’t need a line of rookies to be their best unit. “If you have to rely on your rookies every night it’s really tough to win with consistency at this level.”
The Terriers needed to control the ice better, said Cassan.
“There was not enough sustained time in the offensive zone,” he said.
And the Terriers were not good in battles for the puck either.
“In 50/50 situations we were knocked off the luck too often,” said Cassan. “We lost the puck in key areas.”
The lacklustre effort was made less palatable because it was on home ice, admitted Cassan, and that included only taking one penalty.
“To be on home ice and only one penalty, it just shows the second and third effort weren’t there,” he said.
Cassan said as a coach he takes a lot of pride in making the Farrell Agencies Arena “a tough place for opponents to play.” He added that is important because good teams have good home ice records. The Terriers are below .500 at home this season.
Things went better for the Terriers Saturday in Melville, in a game with more spirit as the rivals shared 11 minors and a major.
Jake Tesarowski gave the Mills a 1-0 lead 5:13 into the game.
From there things swung the Terriers way.
Corwin Stevely tied the game for the Terriers 1-1 at 11:40 into the first period, with Jordan Ross adding his first in nine games since returning to Yorkton from the Western Hockey League, scoring at 15:59 to give the Terriers their first lead of the game.
Adam Santoro extended the lead to 3-1 with the only goal of the second period.
Cole Keenleyside scored at 10:32 and Stevely added his second of the game at 12:08 to round out a 5-1 Terrier win.
Jakob Severson had the win in the Terrier net facing 33-shots, as Clarke Flegel took the loss facing 39-shots.
The split against the Mils leaves the Terriers with a 12-21-1-1 record and 26 points in the SJHL Viterra Division good enough for third spot, five points up on basement dwelling Melville.
Weyburn tops the Viterra with 50 points, as Estevan sits second with 39 points.
Up next
The Terriers were scheduled to visit Flin Flon Tuesday (last night), but results were not available at press time.
Tonight (Wednesday) the Terriers will be in Melfort.
Saturday Yorkton will be on home ice at the Farrell Agencies Arena hosting Weyburn.
Next Tuesday (Jan. 12), Melfort will be in Yorkton.
