New Years means one thing in the SJHL's Sherwood Division and that is Highway 10 action as the Terriers met up with the Mils for their annual New Years two game set in what was the last two meetings in the Mils and Terriers six game series as Sherwood Division rivals.
Sunday night saw the Terriers host at the FAA in what was the first game back after a two week layoff for the Christmas season. Both teams showed signs of rust in the opening frame as the two teams felt each other out and turnovers were a plenty as the two sides looked to get back up to game speed. Melville ended up scoring the lone goal of the first period as Brennan Ritchie got his fifth goal of the season and his first for the Mils after being traded from the La Ronge Ice Wolves. Daylan Gatzke's fight with Tyler Bird after Ritchie's goal rounded out the first period highlight's.
Chase Norrish tied it up on the powerplay for the Terriers early in the second before Allan Kilback gave Melville the lead right back on a generous bounce off the boards right to his stick gave Kale Thomson no chance on the shot to make it 2-1. Patrick Martens pushed in a goal in a scramble at the net to tie things at two but Kilback scored another shortly after to keep the scoring rush going and give the Mils the lead right back before an Austin Bourhis powerplay goal from the slot beat Alex Wakaluk and sent the game into the third period tied 3-3.
After a wild second period the Terriers started to dictate play and press on the Mils, but Wakaluk was showing why he is one of the SJHL's best goalies in keeping the outplayed Millionaires in the game. Melville took advantage as Daniel Orsborn gave the Millionaires the lead with fourteen minutes left. Chase Norrish played the hero on the night, making up for his brother Brady's roughing penalty with a shorthanded rush down the ice for the game tying goal. The Terriers kept on looking for the winner in the final five minutes, but Wakaluk shut the door in a period where the Terriers outshot Melville 17-5 and sent the game into overtime.
Another Terriers-Millionaires overtime session provided high drama as Martens was given a four minute high sticking penalty eight seconds into the period, giving the Mils a four minute powerplay and a chance to steal the win away from the Terriers. However, it was not to be as Norrish continued to be the hero with another solo rush for his third goal of the night and the winner in what was a classic New Years game and a 5-4 win for the Terriers.
Kale Thomson got the win in goal for the Terriers, making 19 saves and continuing his winning streak from December.
Head coach Trent Cassan was impressed with Norrish's effort with the hat trick saying, "He is one of those players who is around five foot ten but plays like he is six foot two, and you could really see all he brings to the table tonight with some sound defensive plays and the burst of speed in the three huge goals he scored for us."
Cassan also gave praise to the Mils' Wakaluk and his goaltending in the game saying, "He is one of the league's best goalies and tonight was an example of that as he made some big saves on us and kept his team in the game and we eventually pulled through."
Both teams met up again Tuesday afternoon to ring in 2013 at Melville's Horizon Credit Union Centre. Dawson MacAuley got the start in goal for the Terriers and was looking to improve on his impressive 7-2 record while Wakaluk was given the start in goal again for the Millionaires.
A repeat of Sunday night was in order as the Millionaires opened up the scoring with a Christian Magnus goal with just thirty seconds left in the first period to give the Millionaires serious momentum heading into the intermission despite being outshot 14-7 by the Terriers.
Eric Meyer extended the lead to 2-0 for the Millionaires before Jeremy Johnson and Kailum Gervais scored two unanswered goals to send things into the third period tied up yet again. Zak Majkowski got an assist on the Johnson goal in his second game back from injury and Swift Current Broncos prospect Dakota Odgers got his first assist of the year in his first appearance for the Terriers after an impressive November and December with the Harvest.
Melville showed no interest in playing overtime on Tuesday as they came out flying in the third period, giving the Terriers more than they could handle in what was a hectic final period.
