The Yorkton Terriers can do no wrong in the first stretch of the 2012-13 SJHL season. With three straight wins after their lone loss on the road to their Notre Dame Hounds the Terriers now sit at an impressive 5-1 to open their SJHL campaign.
The Terriers began their weekend winning streak on the road Friday night in Weyburn as the Terriers handled the Red Wings in a 7-2 victory repeating the story from the Terriers first win of the season when they won against the Red Wings in their home opener. Conor Barrie got the start in net for the Terriers and had 33 saves while Kale Thomson got some much deserved rest before the Terriers played at home Saturday night. Dylan Johnson also got his first action of the season and scored his first SJHL goal on his first ever shift while his older brother Jeremy continued his hot start to the season with a hat trick.
The Terriers then headed back home for a Saturday night clash with the Nipawin Hawks. Saturday night proved to be alright for fighting as the Terriers and Hawks did not shy away from the physical play as the Terriers answered the Hawks insistence of running their hot goalie Thomson in net, resulting in the refs handing out numerous roughing after the whistle calls in the first two periods in an attempt to control the situation.
The Hawks attempts to out tough the Terriers game after a Jeremy Johnson goal three minutes into the game off of a rebound in front of the net that had the Hawks playing catch up from the get go. Dylan Baer added another marker late in the first period off of another hustle play in front of the net to give the Terriers a 2-0 lead heading into the second period where Tayler Thompson scored one of the goals of the season going through the Hawks defense and the goalie himself in a highlight reel worthy effort to put the game out of reach at 3-0.
Third period action saw the refs lose control of the game as roughing after the whistle penalties and game misconducts could not prevent the Terriers and Hawks from getting at each other and dropping the gloves as four fighting majors were assessed in the game. Despite the extra activity in the third period it was an impressive performance for the Terriers as they continued their unbeaten streak at the FAA and Kale Thomson earned a twenty-four save shutout.
Win number three of the week came in Estevan Tuesday night as the Terriers cruised to another big win with a 6-1 scoreline. Six different Terriers notched goals in the effort and Conor Barrie got another start in a twenty five save performance, showing signs that the Terriers might have an effective one-two punch in Thomson and Barrie going forward.
The win put the Terriers two points back of the Millionaires in the Sherwood Conference standings heading into a home and away weekend series between the Highway 10 rivals Friday and Saturday night in their first matchups of the season. Melville has played eight games to the Terriers six and it looks like both teams will be battling for first place in the Sherwood Conference throughout the season after one month, making these Highway 10 battles that much more intense.
Game time for the Terriers home game against the Millionaires this weekend is at its usual seven thirty start Friday night as the Terriers host the Millionaires in what will be a battle for first place and a chance for revenge from the 2012 playoffs in what is sure to be the story of the week in the SJHL.
