With their month long unbeaten streak snapped at the hands of the Regina Pat Canadians in their final home game of the regular season, the Harvest embarked on the first of two final Saturday/Sunday road trips to close out their campaign before the playoffs with a tough set of games against the first place Prince Albert Mintos and the Saskatoon Blazers, who were battling the Harvest for the SMAAAHL's fifth seed.
The Mintos, who have all but locked up the regular season title, had added motivation heading into Saturday's game with the Harvest as Yorkton beat them 3-2 at the FAA in their previous meeting. For the Harvest, this game would serve as a test to see where their title hopes lie at fifth place after a slow start, a win would show that the Harvest are a team that can contend come playoff time.
Carson Bogdan got the start in goal for the Harvest and despite an early Mintos goal from Adam Osczevski was stellar early as the Harvest scored two goals in the second period to go into the final twenty up 2-1 against the best team in the league. Powerplay goals in the first and last minute of the second from Donovon Lumb and Lynnden Pastachak gave the Harvest the lead and Pastachak his 26th goal of the season.
In the third the Mintos made their charge, scoring two goals in the second half of the third period Justin Boyer tied it up with 9:27 left in the third and Lance Yaremchuk gave the Mintos the lead with 4:59 left with the Harvest needing a hero to step up to get the two points. Eric Meyer was that hero as a goal with 2:21 left was followed up with another with twelve seconds left to give the Harvest their second straight win over the league leading Mintos. Dakota Odgers served as the set up man for the game tying and winning goals to finish the night with three assists.
On Sunday the Harvest made their way back down the highway to Saskatoon to close out the weekend against the Blazers. With a win giving the Harvest valuable separation in fifth place. Saskatoon struck first with a powerplay goal before Levi Morin added a goal on the PP for the Harvest to end the first tied at 1-1.
Special teams goals were the story of the game as the second period had five goals on the powerplay and the shorthand in a goal filled twenty minutes. Saskatoon opened the scoring with their second powerplay goal of the game to take a 2-1 lead early after a Nicolas Pouliot's charging penalty put the Blazers on the man advantage. Pastachak scored his twenty seventh of the season to tie things up before the Blazers scored yet another powerplay goal to go back on the advantage before three unanswered Harvest goals gave Yorkton a 5-3 lead. Two goals from Jaden Kreklewich one on the shorthand and one on the powerplay and a Pouliot goal gave the Harvest the lead headed into the third where the Blazers added a third period goal early to make things interested before Bogdan dug deep and made fifteen saves through the rest of the third to secure the win.
Bogdan made 35 saves on the night to get his 14th win of the season, the Harvest are now three points up on the pack for fifth place with two games left this weekend against already eliminated Swift Current to close out their season. If the season ended today the Harvest would be facing off with the Pat Canadians in the opening round with Regina tied for third/fourth with the Moose Jaw Generals. The Harvest have had mixed results with both teams making whoever they face in the opening round a challenge, but after next weekend one thing is for certain, after beating the league's best a second time anything is possible.
