The Yorkton Harvest had a tough start to the Sask. Midget AAA Hockey League (SMAAAHL) regular season, losing their first two games to the Saskatoon Contacts on the road.
The Notre Dame Hounds drubbed the Harvest 7-1 in their home opener at the Farrell Agencies Arena last week.
The Harvest recorded their first win Saturday night as they narrowly edged out the Contacts. Yorkton claimed a narrow 5-4 win over the Contacts in the first game of a two game home ice series.
Both teams' powerplay unit were working well as six of the nine goals scored by both teams were powerplay goals. The Contacts were responsible for four of the six as they outplayed Yorkton's penalty kill unit.
Tanner LeSann scored the opening goal of the game for Yorkton at the 11:23 mark of the first period assisted by Jake McMillan and Devin McGonigle. LeSann repeated his scoring performance 10 seconds later with the second goal of the game assisted by McMillan and Lynden Pastachak.
Rourke Chartier lit up the scoreboard for the Contacts with a powerplay goal to narrow the Yorkton lead to 2-1.
Three second period goals, two of them powerplay goals, gave the Harvest a commanding 4-1 lead. McMillen started second period scoring with a powerplay marker assisted by Pastachak and LeSann. Dakota Odgers added Yorkton's second goal of the second frame, Yortkon's second powerplay goal, assisted by McGonigal and Josh Lees.
Adam McCannell added Yorkton's third goal of the second period assisted by Jaden Kreklewich and McGonigal.
Chartier's second powerplay goal of the night for Saskatoon late in the period sent the teams to the dressing rooms with Yorkton holding a three goal edge.
The Contacts scored two more powerplay goals, one each by Kolten Olynek and Vukie Mpofu, in the final frame gave the Harvest some anxious moments as Saskatoon threatened to tie the game.
At the final buzzer, Yorkton managed to hold on to a 5-4 win.
Sunday afternoon, the Contacts turned the tables on the Harvest, outshooting Yorkton 47-22 to claim a 4-2 win in the second game of the series.
Saskatoon did all the damage in the second period, scoring four goals to Yorkton's two markers. Both the first and third periods were scoreless in the hard fought contest.
Olynek opened the scoring early in the period to give Saskatoon a on a goal lead.
Levi Morin tied the game for the Harvest assisted by Riley Rozdeba.
Olynek scored his second goal of the game, a powerplay marker to re-establish Saskatoon's one goal margin.
Odgers tied the game at two assisted by Lees and Nicholas Pouliot.
Josh Urich notched the game winner for the Contacts unassisted.
Olynek added the insurance marker with his third goal of the game to clinch the win for the Saskatoon Contacts.
Harvest head coach Jeff Odgers says the first win felt good after falling behind 0-3. With a lot of new players doubt begins to set in whether they can win a game, so it was good to win one against a team like the Contacts, he suggests.
The win was a testament to the team's play, Odgers claims. He feels the team played as hard as they needed to play for the first two periods.
In the last period the Contacts, a hard team to control at the best of times, pushed back. The Harvest gave up more than they wanted to, but managed to hang on to win, Odgers says.
The Harvest almost gave up 35 shots in the last two periods. Odgers credits the goaltender, Taryn Phaneuf, who was named first game star, with the win. "He gave us a chance. We can use this as a victory and a bit of a learning tool on learning how to win," says Odgers.
The win was also a gold team effort with the forward lines getting a good start up front, he adds.
Currently has 20 players on the bench. Odgers presently has one card open. A couple of players seconded from the AA midget team, Riley Rozdeba and Landon Nichol, came in and played great, he states. "If we can keep using guys like that and they perform well, it's good," Odgers says.
With the exception of one player, Josh Odelein, the team is healthy, Odgers reports. He'll probably be back by next weekend, Odgers thinks.
It was good to get the first win. After Wednesday's game team reaction became important, says Odgers. He says he's proud of the way the players bounced back from the loss. "The guys came out with a good effort, reacted well and got themselves a win," he closes.
