On a special night the Yorkton Terriers returned to the Farrell Agencies Arena for the first time after a three week road trip to honour Canada's Armed Forces and the veterans who fought for our freedom on Armed forces Night when the Terriers hosted the Kindersley Klippers on November 10.
Wearing camo jerseys and unveiling a special black seat that will remain empty in support of the troops in conjunction with the Good Spirit School Division, the Terriers took to the ice with added inspiration when they hosted the Klippers in a battle of two likely SJHL playoff contenders.
Without head coach Trent Cassan for one last time after the Terriers coach helped lead Canada West to a bronze at the World Junior A Hockey Challenge the Terriers rose to the occasion in their return to home after being bounced from their rink for the annual Harvest Showdown.
Tayler Thompson opened the scoring in the second period with his fifth goal of the season to give the Terriers a 1-0 lead before tough guy John Odgers scored an unlikely powerplay goal to push the score to 2-0. Odgers first goal of the season would be the eventual game winner as the Terriers won 3-1 after Brady Norrish scored an empty net goal on the penalty kill in the final minute to seal the victory.
After the game Odgers was more than happy to relive what was a rare goal for the fourth liner who spends most of his time giving the Terriers a tough edge much like his dad Jeff, a former NHL enforcer of the 90's and early 00's. "I don't usually play on the powerplay so it was kind of unexpected to be thrown out there and even rarer to score a goal and it is always nice to contribute offensively because it is always in the back of the mind of any player to get on the scoreboard," says Odgers.
The win kept the Terriers on pace with Melville in the Viterra Division standings, a race that goaltender Kale Thomson hopes that Yorkton can get a lead on before Christmas.
"We want to be in first so that is the next focus for us now that we are back at home."
Yorkton hosts Weyburn this Friday.
