The Yorkton Terriers bounced back from their loss to the Kindersley Klippers with a 4-1 win over the Battlefords North Stars at the Battlefords Civic Centre Wednesday night.
Brent Struble started the scoring parade with a pair of early first period markers, including a powerplay goal. Robbie Ciolfi and Clarke Breitkreuz earned assists on Struble's opening goals.
Craig Eisenhut added to the Terrier lead with a second period goal assisted by Jeremy Boyer and Justin Buzzeo.
Cole Gibson scored the lone goal for the North Stars midway through the second period, giving Yorkton a 3-1 lead after two periods.
Devon McMullen capped game scoring with an empty net goal late in the final frame assisted by Eisenhut.
Saturday a wounded Terrier team hosted the visiting Notre Dame.
A pair of goals by rookie AP Jeremy Johnson helped lift Yorkton to a 4-1 win at home.
Riley Paterson lit up the scoreboard for Yorkton late in the opening period assisted by Breitkreuz and Struble.
Buzzeo chipped in Yorkton's second goal to give the Terriers a 2-0 lead after 20 minutes, assisted by Eisenhut.
Terrier call-up Jeremy Johnstone scored twice, once late in the second period and once midway through the third to clinch a 4-1 win for the Terriers.
Troy Dumais and Keven Cann earned assists on Johnson's first goal while Brant Remenda and Cann were credited with assists on the second marker.
David Lerner notched Notre Dame's lone goal early in the final frame.
Johnson who's played several games as an AP with the Terriers says it was a relief to finally score his first SJHL goal in a Terriers jersey.
"It just opened up into the slot and I put it on net and it happened to go in. It might have been a little luckey but they all count," Johnson describes his first Junior A goal.
Johson, currently playing with Ochapawace, has 50 points and was named rookie of the year by the team. He believes his time in Ochapawace has helped him to step up to play Tier 1 hockey. "It's quite a step up to play Junior A and the Junior B helps out that much more," he says.
The game is significantly different in the SJHL, Johnson suggests. "The pace is a lot quicker. The guys are a lot bigger and the goalies are a lot better," he explains.
Playing for both teams takes some adjustment. It helps when there are good teammates to help him along.
A two goal night with the Terriers certainly helped bolster Johnson's confidence. "I thought I did well," he closes.
Terrier GM Don Chesney, bench boss for the third time this season, says it feels good to be back. He enjoyed the three wins and working with Danny MacKay again.
With seven regular players sidelined with injuries, it was a big game for the team Saturday night. The AP players performed well for the Terriers, says Chesney. "I thought our AP players played well with Johnson getting two goals. I thought Cann had a good game. He got a star and the two Norrish twins didn't look out of place for 17-year-olds," he reports.
He hopes to have some players recovered sufficiently to play Tuesday when head coach Trent Cassan returns.
The Norris twins strength is playing together, says Chesney. "They've been playing together forever, a right and left-handed shot. They're in our plans for next year. They're exciting players who play a lot bigger than their size," he notes.
Chesney attributes the rebound from the loss in Kindersley to coaches Cassan and MacKay. "After the game in Kindersley they kind of read the riot act out and made everybody accountable to what was going on this year," he claims.
Both the game in Battleford and at home to the Hounds, who are battling for their playoff lives, were huge in Chesney's opinion.
While Yorkton has seven players out with injuries, so do other teams, Chesney admits. He thinks the walking wounded will make their way back to the bench as the week progresses. Hopefully by next weekend, Poncelet and Vick will be ready to play. Then Ciolfi, Rockwell and Tendler will rejoin the team. "Hockey's a game of injuries and you just have to put other guys in slots and let them believe that we can win the game with whoever is in the lineup," he states.
With only eight games left in the regular season, the Terriers will try to hold on to first place and go from there. The remaining schedule looks as good as Kindersley's and everybody else's, Chesney closes.
The double win leaves the Terriers precariously hanging on to first place in the Sherwood Conference with 64 points, two ahead of their nearest rivals.
