Despite a promising start last Friday night, the hometown favorites the Yorkton Terriers have found themselves in a real dogfight in the first round of the Sherwood Conference playoffs. Their Highway 10 rivals, the Melville Millionaires, took a 2-1 lead in the best of seven games series with a pair of narrow, one goal wins, the first in overtime in Melville and the second with a last minute goal in the Terriers barn.
The Terriers opened the series outshooting the visiting Mils 45-20 on the way to a 4-1 win in Game 1 at the Farrell Agencies Arena.
Riley Patterson opened the scoring with about a minute left in the first period assisted by Brent Struble to give the home team a 1-0 lead after 20 minutes.
Tyler Geibel lit up the board for Yorkton in the second period with his first of two, a powerplay marker, assisted by Chase Norrish to give Yorkton a two goal margin after two periods.
Struble made it 3-0 for Yorkton early in the final frame assisted by Riley Paterson.
Melville winger Ian McNulty scored Melville's lone goal at the eight minute mark and change in the third period.
Giebel capped the scoring with his second goal of the game, an empty net marker to clinch the 4-1 win in the first game of the best of seven series.
Terrier netminder was solid in goal turning aside 19 of 20 shots to backstop the team to the first win of the playoffs.
The Millionaires definitely came out to play on their home ice Saturday as they scored three times in about four minutes of the opening period to open up a 3-1 lead after 20 minutes. Colin Mospanchuk, McNulty and Alex Elliott each eluded Terrier netminder Shymko.
Giebel opened the scoring for Yorkton late in the first period assisted by Norrish.
Curtis Oliver pulled the Terriers back into the game with a pair of second period goals. Norrish earned an assist on Oliver's first marker while Devon McMullen claimed an assist on his second.
Lucas Froese maintained the Millionaire lead with Melville's lone second period goal.
Mospanchuk handed the Mils a two goal edge with an early third period powerplay marker.
Two third period goals in under a minute tied the game for the Terriers. Struble's powerplay goal at 9:09 pulled Yorkton within one goal assisted by Giebel and Norrish.
Ryon Sookro tied the game less than a minute later assisted by McLeod.
Michael Desjarlais potted the overtime game winner to hand Melville a 6-5 win.
Home ice held no advantage for the Terriers Monday night as the visiting Million-aires battled back from a two goal deficit to score the game winner with 22 seconds left on the clock.
Froese scored the game opener, a powerplay goal, for the Mils early in the first period.
Kelly Lessmeister replied for the Terriers to tie the game at one assisted by Kailum Gervais.
Michael Sagan reestablished the Mils one goal edge.
Nathan Murray tied the game a second time assisted by Giebel.
Giebel notched Yorkton's go-ahead goal to make it 3-2 after 20 minutes assisted by McMullen and Zak Majkowski.
Elliott tied the game for the Mils late in the second frame.
Brady Norrish gave the Terriers a one goal lead with a powerplay goal 30 seconds into the second period assisted by Struble.
Mospanchuk the game for Melville early in the final frame.
With just 22 seconds remaining in regulation time, Connor Bradshaw put the game away for the Millionaires. The win gave Melville a 2-1 lead in the best of seven series.
Terrier head coach Trent Cassan says he thought the Terriers didn't have as much jump to win races to loose pucks as they did early in the game.
"A loss is a loss," Cassan declares. "We have to rebound and be ready to go Wednesday," he insists.
There's a fine line between winning and losing, he adds. "You're winning and all of a sudden the pucks in the back of your net in the last minute and you've lost the game.'
Cassan doesn't see too much he can or needs to change. He'd like to see a little more composure getting pucks through. The players did a good job at getting into lanes but seemed to be winding up almost too much at times, he suggests.
Injuries have taken away the luxury of lineup changes for the next game, Cassan notes. "The guys who are out, are out for a reason," he says.
There are a couple of things the Terriers need to do better in the next game, Cassan says. "A good start would be one," he closes.
