While it might not have been the sweep of the Highway 10 Battle that the Yorkton Terriers wanted heading into the post-Christmas schedule in the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League, the Yorkton Terriers will be content that home ice at the Farrell Agencies Arena has remained a fortress for another year as wins over the rival Millionaires and the Melfort Mustangs started the team off undefeated at home in 2014.
Returning to action, the Terriers lost their first game back 4-2 in Melville before beating the Mils back at home 3-1 and winning two straight games in a home and away series with the Mustangs to remain atop of the SJHL.
Yorkton appeared to be on the path to winning in enemy territory against the Mils in Game One of their New Years Series, getting the opening goal from Tayler Thompson to finish the first period up 1-0. The hosts had other plans, tying the game in the second period before scoring three more markers in the third to take the home meeting 4-2 and continue the Mils surprising success in 2013/14.
Adam Dibella, Tyson Predinchuk, Landon Farrell and Colin Mospanchuk would score the goals for the Millionaires in the big home win for Jamie Fiesel's team at the Horizon Credit Union Centre.
The win would help Melville stay on pace with the Terriers as the two teams continue to fight for first place in the Viterra division as the push to the playoffs at the end of February is well under way.
On New Years Day it would be recent acquisition Brett Boehm who would be the difference maker as the top goalscorer would continue his hot streak since moving to the defending champs from the Flin Flon Bombers. Boehm would score in the second and third periods to provide the needed insurance after Cortlan Procter's first period goal to give the Terriers a 3-1 win over the Millionaires.
After dispatching the Mils, the Terriers started off the weekend off right with a 5-2 win over the Mustangs on Friday evening. Five different goalscorers led the way for the Terriers in what was a classic team effort from the balanced Yorkton roster. Kale Thomson posted 32 saves to move to 2-1 in his first week back before sitting out in the second game of the back to back with the Mustangs to give backup Riley Medves a start and take some well earned rest.
Medves would make the most of his opportunity in Melfort, shutting out the Mustangs for nearly the entire game before a late goal with 1:35 left in the game prevented the backup from getting a shutout in a rare start due to Thomson's workhorse presence in between the pipes.
Medves was working with the lead for essentially the entire game in the 24 save win as Boehm extended his scoring streak to three games with a goal 32 seconds into the first period for his 17th goal of the season. Derek Falloon and Tayler Thompson scored the Terriers two other goals in the 3-1 victory.
The three wins in the first week of 2014 pushed the Terriers point total to 51 points which has them one point above the Millionaires and three points ahead of Kramer Division teams in the Kindersley Klippers and the Humboldt Broncos for first place in the league. In the Sherwood Division the race is more competitive, but the teams are far off the class that is in the Viterra and Kramer Divisions as the division leading Nipawin Hawks would be in fourth place if they were in the Viterra/Kramer division races.
In a new playoff format and with a significant home ice advantage compared to their record on the road, the Terriers will be focusing on locking up home ice advantage for the entire playoffs over their final stretch. Last year that mission was failed late as the Terriers finished first in the Sherwood Conference under the old two division format, but could not edge out the Humboldt Broncos who rode the acquisition of Alex Forsberg at the trade deadline to first in the league to get home ice advantage in the Canalta Cup final.
This season it is the Terriers who are making big splashes in the trade market as it is being rumoured that after adding Brett Boehm for his final Jr. season from the Flin Flon Bombers that the Terriers are going to be adding a player from the BCHL before the weekend. At the time of writing nothing was official, but The News Review has gotten word that the potential move will be made in the coming days should the Terriers add another piece.
Yorkton will now spend the next two weeks on the road, playing in Battlefords, Kindersley, Flin Flon, and Nipawin before hosting the La Ronge Ice Wolves on Tuesday, January 21. That stretch will prove to be a big test for the Terriers, who are usually unbeatable at home and can drop points on the road as a downfall. If they want to stay in front of the pesky underdog Millionaires for first place in the Viterra Division, the Dogs will have to mark their territory outside of the Farrell Agencies Arena. With a chance at home ice advantage, this road trip could decide the division title.
