After what was likely the worst start in club history in 2012/13 for the Yorkton Harvest in their first ten games last season, new head coach Dan Cross made it his mission to start his first year behind the Harvest bench to make sure that didn't happen again. Last year with Cross as an assistant and former NHL grinder Jeff Odgers behind the bench the Harvest bounced back to become one of the best teams in the Saskatchewan Midget AAA Hockey League in the second half of the season, this year that momentum has carried over into the start of the 2013/14 season.
Many faces are going, including three of last year's players on the Weyburn Red Wings of the SJHL and Lynnden Pastachak moving on to the Estevan Bruins along with Ethan Bear to the WHL's Seattle Thunderbirds, but so far a new group has the Harvest with eight out of ten points to start the season. After sweeping Swift Current to start the season last weekend, the Harvest travelled to Wilcox to play the Notre Dame Argos midweek before hosting the Saskatoon Blazers at the FAA for a two game set on Saturday/Sunday. With the goal in mind to start the season strong, the Harvest continued to dig deep and earn points.
Yorkton would come on top in a five goal first period against the Argos to start the game up 3-2 and were leading 5-4 off of a Chase McKersie goal before the Argos tied the game up late. In overtime Egor Popov would score his second goal of the night to give the Harvest their first loss of the season, but Yorkton still salvaged a point on the night.
More late goals would be found on the weekend as both games against the Saskatoon Contacts featured goals inside of five minutes left in the third period that swung the game. On Saturday night Cross gave rookie goaltender Carter Phair his first start in net and the 14 year old netminder delivered with a 20 save night, but the Harvest still found themselves down 3-2 in the final minute after clawing their way back in the game despite falling behind 2-0 in the first period.
With :33 left on the clock rookie Tyler Kreklewich scored to tie things up at 3-3. Thirty seconds later with just three seconds left on the clock, Brennan Watson put the puck past Contacts goalie Austin Swystun for the game winning goal.
The following afternoon Saskatoon got revenge when Tyler Kreklewich's game winning goal was negated by a powerplay goal from Curran Reeve with 1:28 left to tie the game 2-2. Overtime would settle nothing and the game would end in a tie.
The powerplay goal came as the final blow in a string of dubious penalties directed the Harvest's way Sunday. Earlier in the period Chase McKersie was sent to the box for interference on a 50-50 play for the puck before Koal Roberts was sent to the box for cross checking. All in all the Harvest were assessed six penalties that led to man advantages in the final period. Cross wouldn't use that as an excuse following the game, saying it is a part of the game. "Some days you get the calls and other days you see it the other way than the officials, but I am sure the Contacts feel the same way because that is hockey."
Rookie goaltender Carter Phair was praised by Cross for his performance on Saturday, getting the win in his first SMAAHL start. "At fourteen he showed remarkable poise and command in net and he is only going to get better as the season goes on as a young goalie." A fresh Carson Bogdan had a solid game on Sunday, earning Cab Clothing Player of the Game honours in the overtime loss. If Phair can continue to grow over the season, Yorkton will have a solid tandem.
At the end of the weekend the Harvest are in first place in the league with eight points, a hot start that Cross is attributing to a great atmosphere coming from the locker room. "We have a great group of guys here this year and a lot of veteran leaders and I think that has helped us find some key comebacks early this year and we just want to continue that from here forward," says Cross.
The Harvest's next home game is October 16 against the Tisdale Trojans. Puck drop is at 8:00 p.m.
