With an eleven day layoff on the horizon the FAA faithful were given a treat as the SJHL's two best teams collided in one of the year's best games as the Hounds and Terriers provided a playoff atmosphere in a battle for first place in the Sherwood Division and the SJHL.
The Terriers trend of scoring first at home continued as Jeremy Johnson scored his fifteenth goal of the season to give the Terriers the first strike in the pivotal matchup. His brother Dylan scored his third of the year off of a hard drive to the net to make it 2-0 Terriers nearly midway into the second before the Hounds scored at the end of the second in what was a wild, and extremely physical period of hockey that had the fans on their feet. A huge hip check from Devon McMullen led to the Hounds Dion Anstin running McMullen off the puck and a fighting major for both players. Anstin wasn't assessed a instigator penalty on the play and his cheap shot started a series of tilts that turned the playoff intensity to full throttle as Derek Falloon and Kailum Gervais both defended their captain by dropping the gloves during the second.
Austin Bourhis also got the crowd on their feet with a huge bone crunching hit of his own in the second that added to the highlight reel of old time hockey exhibited in the second.
After all the fireworks were over it was still a 2-1 hockey game headed into the third period and the Hounds were pressing after scoring at the death heading into the third. Nathan Murray put things away for good for the Terriers and Tayler Thompson added another for insurance as four different goal scorers contributed in a 4-1 win off of Kale Thomson's 36 save performance in what just might be an early contender for the SJHL's best regular season game.
Dylan Johnson continued his recent string of impressive performances in the absence of Brenden Poncelet and Zak Majkowski who are out with injuries. Johnson mentioned that the enhanced role has given him some valuable confidence in his first year with the Terriers and that he hopes to continue to build on his performances heading into January/February and the playoffs.
Prospect Brayden Schmidt was given his first SJHL call up and head coach Trent Cassan was impressed with how Schmidt, who is playing with the SMAAAHL's Regina Pat Canadians, handled himself saying "He played within himself and handled his first appearance with us really well, not trying to do too much with the puck and making the safe plays and he is definitely a player that we are excited to have in our organization who has good linemates in Regina and has been playing really well."
Wins against Melfort and Estevan on the weekend in addition to Tuesday night's win pushed the Terriers winning streak to three games and gives them a four point cushion on the Hounds heading into the holiday break. A 24-8-1 record has the Terriers sitting at first place and as favorites for the SJHL title come playoff time a little over halfway through the season.
The Terriers depth has been a key part of their success in the first half as returning players from the WHL in goaltender Dawson MacAuley and defenders Austin Bourhis and John Neibrandt have made the Terriers loaded from top to bottom this season, something Cassan said was the goal all along. "When we pieced together this team we wanted to make it as balanced as possible, and the guys have really embraced that mission, players fill the roles we assign for them and if a player is in a slump no one is getting on their linemates or showing frustration, we have been playing well as a team."
Kale Thomson was given the game's first star after the 36 save performance and has been a huge part of the Terriers success so far, winning multiple SJHL Goalie of the Week honors and pairing well with the aforementioned MacAuley to give the Terriers a solid one-two punch in goal. Thomson credits much of his success to the defensive depth the Terriers have this year, "I have great guys in front of me, the Norrish's and McMullen play great defense and getting Bourhis and Neibrandt back with us has been huge for our defense and has really helped me out," said Thomson.
As for the relationship between him and MacAuley, who is 7-2 this year in what has been a successful year of his own Thomson said that they are good friends saying "Me and Dawson have a great relationship and we support each other, helping each other out in practice and when the other gets a start we support each other and are confident that if either of us play we will have good goaltending."
The Terriers will now get a nice twelve day break and will be hoping to heal some injures, specifically Poncelet who is out after an injury picked up against Estevan and Majkowski who are both key veteran players for the Terriers. Cassan said he hopes that the extra two weeks gives them a chance to recover and will help, but said that there is no definite timetable for their returns.
Melville will be heading into the FAA December 30 as part of their annual New Years' series. The Terriers are 3-0-1 against the Millionaires this year, but the games have been close and the Mils will be looking to continue their turnaround as of late and are sitting only eight points back of the Terriers after some struggles in late November and December.
Heading into Christmas spirits are up at the FAA as the Terriers have a serious chance to contend for a title and will have the goal of trying to secure home ice advantage and first in the league with two months left in the season. It is early, but right now it is good to be a Yorkton Terrier fan.
