Life on the road hasn't slowed down the 2013/14 Yorkton Terriers start to the SJHL season. Backed by some hot goaltending from veteran Kale Thomson the Terriers have taken points in three of their first four games of a seven game road trip, losing just once to defending North champions Humboldt. That loss was a 1-0 affair at the start of the road trip, but since then everything has been continuing to click, even with head coach Trent Cassan temporarily unavailable due to commitments with the World Junior A Hockey Challenge where he is one of the coaches for Team Canada West.
Thomson backed up a 29 save night in the first game of the road trip before shutting out the Battlefords North Stars the following night with a 27 save performance.. Goals from Zach Zadorozniak and Devon McMullen gave Thomson the goals needed to lift the Terriers to their first win of the road trip the following night.
Playing on back to back nights Saturday in Kindersley, Thomson was again solid. Making 22 saves, he helped the Terriers scratch out a 2-1 victory. Kindersley took the first lead of the game early in the first period off of a goal from defenseman Brandon Lauder. From then on Thomson wouldn't allow a single shot to get by him, and the rest of the Terriers went to work. Rookie Jordan Ross would score a late powerplay goal in the second period to turn the momentum away from the Klippers just before the final period. Brady Norrish would beat Evan Weninger one more time in the final period to earn the game winner and give the Terriers the full two points on back to back nights.
On Monday Thomson was named SJHL Goaltender of the Week, allowing just two goals over three games. After a solid season where he went 17-7-2 as a 19 year old before losing his starting job to now Regina Pat Dawson MacAuley, Thomson has evolved into the consensus starter for the Terriers this season. After two full months of the regular season Thomson's GAA is down nearly a full point to 2.07 and has save percentage is up from .901 to .927, if those numbers can stay around that point Thomson will be in the running for Goaltender of the Year in his final Jr. season.
Yorkton was again in action one more time this week on Tuesday when they traveled to Spectra Place to take on the Estevan Bruins, who added Yorkton Harvest forward Chase McKersie to the lineup. McKersie, who has been on a tear with the Harvest early in the season, joined former Harvest teammate Lynnden Pastachak on the Bruins for what was an entertaining affair in Estevan.
Scoreless first and third periods would sandwich a four goal second period that was dominated by young guns. Rookies Tyson Enzie and Jordan Ross would score for the Terriers and Pastachak and RT Rice would score for the Bruins to send the game into overtime tied 2-2.
In the overtime session a too many men penalty would open up the game as the Bruins would take a 4 on 3 powerplay one minute into the extra frame. Austin Daae would make no mistake on the man advantage, scoring the powerplay goal to take the win and the extra point.
The overtime loss would put the Terriers record at 10-4-1, good enough for second in the division behind the surprisingly hot Melville Millionaires who are leading the Viterra Division despite losing three of the league's top ten goalscorers and the league MVP in goaltender Alex Wakaluk.
Yorkton has one game this weekend, playing the Nipawin Hawks before a two game set in La Ronge the following weekend to end their seven game road trip. The Terriers will be back at home Sunday, November 10 when they host the Kindersley Klippers for a 6:00 p.m. start.
