The Yorkton Terriers post Christmas slump hit four games as the Melfort Mustangs outshot the visiting Terriers 50-30, scoring four first period goals on the way to a 7-3 win at the Northern Lights Palace last week.
Brendon Wall opened the scoring for the Mustangs with his first of two, a power play marker in the opening period.
Brett Kipling added the Mustang's second goal. Spencer Mault and Adam Wihak each added a single to send the teams to the dressing rooms with Melfort leading 4-0.
The Terriers made a game of it in the second frame with three markers. Riley Paterson scored a pair of goals to pull Yorkton within two. Brent Struble and Craig Eisenhut earned assists on Paterson's first goal while Eisenhut recorded the assist on Paterson's second marker.
Jesse Mireau made it 5-2 for the Mustags with his first of two goals midway through the second period.
Zak Majkowski capped the scoring for Yorkton with the third Terrier goal late in the period assisted by Clarke Breitkreuz.
Melfort goalie Charles Corsi held the Terriers scoreless through the third period while Wall and Mireau each added his second goal of the night to clinch the 7-3 win for the Mustangs.
Returning to home ice, the Terriers hosted the Kindersley Klippers at the Farrell Agencies Arena Tuesday night.
The Terriers extended their slump as two quick second period goals a mere 21 seconds apart helped lift the Klippers to a 5-2 win.
The teams remained tied at one through the first period. Johnny Calkins opened the scoring for Kindersley early in the first frame. Terrier newcomer Jeremy Boyer recently acquired in a trade with the Humboldt Broncos tied the game for Yorkton midway through the period assisted by Justin Buzzeo and Clarke Breitkreuz.
Kurt Leedahl lifted the Klippers to the lead with an early second period marker.
Brent Struble tied the game for the Terriers less than a minute later assisted by Craig Eisenhut.
Just when it seemed the second period would end in a draw, Wheaton King slipped the puck past Terrier netminder Devin Peters with 30 seconds left in the period.
A scant 221 seconds later Jesse Mysiorek scored to make it 4-2 for the Klippers after two periods.
Jordon Hoffman's empty net goal late in the third, capped the scoring to give Kindersley a 5-2 win.
Terrier head coach Trent Cassan says the coaching staff made some moves to bring in some players to provide some more scoring, leadership and some more physical play at the recent trade deadline. "The three guys we brought in will kind of bring those different aspects, each of them," he suggests.
The Terriers have a good mix of players who can fill different roles, Cassan states. "Guys have to know what their strengths are and play to those strengths," he adds.
Sometimes luck is needed to win some hockey games, Cassan proposes. It seems luck was with the Klippers Tuesday night. While he feels the Terriers had some good chances, he also suggests all the Kindersley goals in the second period came from pretty simple shots on the net.
It almost appeared at times during the game there was too much pressure to do too much with the new players on the bench, Cassan says.
He's happy to be on the road Wednesday night where he thinks there will be a little less pressure than there is at home. A road win in a tough place to play like Estevan would be good for the team's confidence, Cassan closes.
