After three games of the Yorkton Terriers three week, seven game road trip things are looking pretty good as the Terriers won two straight in Kindersley before losing in Battlefords Sunday in a three game in three days stretch that could have went a lot worse for the team.
The weekend started out Friday night in Kindersley as the Terriers went to the building where they suffered on of their first defeats if the season at the hands of former goalie Warren Shymko, who posted a memorable fifty plus save performance in that meeting. Shymko had a less memorable night on Friday as the Terriers pelted him for seven goals in a 7-1 cakewalk win for the Terriers. In a game where nearly every Terrier saw the scoresheet Daylan Gatzke proved to be the standout with a two goal effort to kick off a weekend that saw him win Rookie of the Week honors. Dawson MacAuley got the start in net and was solid with twenty-four saves in the victory.
Saturday saw the Klippers change up their goalie with Tyrell King getting the nod over Shymko, but the Terriers offense still found success in what was a much tighter affair in a 6-5 shootout win. The Terriers looked like they were going to run away with another relatively easy victory as Gatzke once again led the Terriers with a four point night with two goals and two helpers. Chase Norrish had a solid game assisting both of Gatzke's goals while Tyler Giebel scored two goals on the night in what was a high scoring affair. Kindersley benefited from two heroic goals from center Giovanni Bombini, including one with just over a minute left in the third period to tie up the game at five and send it into overtime and the shootout. Zak Majkowski eventually scored the shootout winner after six shooters and MacAuley notched the shootout win in net.
Sunday's afternoon matchup in North Battleford saw the travel and the tired legs of playing in three games in three days catch up to the Terriers as they let the game get away from them in the third period despite another three point performance from Giebel and a four goal performance from the powerplay. Devon McMullen was solid on the blueline leading the Terriers powerplay with two assists on the Terriers third period goals, but it was just not in the cards for the Terriers who ran out of gas in the final twenty minutes of a long weekend of hockey. Conor Barrie got the start in goal for the Terriers, making it three start missed starts in a row for Kale Thomson who has been cooled off after his promising beginning to the season.
The Terriers only play one game this weekend in Humboldt before playing Flin Flon, La Ronge, and Weyburn next week then heading home Sunday night to face the Bombers. Flin Flon and Humboldt sit atop of the Bauer Division standings while La Ronge and Weyburn are at the bottom of the Bauer and Sherwood Division tables respectively. A tired group of Terriers will welcome the rest this week but yet another four game week is on the horizon as the Terriers try to keep pace with the Millionaires who are still red hot at 13-3-1 and are two points up. These next two weeks can change that, something the Terriers can't afford to forget.
