Editor's Note: Yorkton's Game Four meeting with Humboldt Wednesday night takes place after The News Review deadline. For bonus coverage visit yorktonnews.com
When the matchups for the 2013/14 Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League Semifinals came out following the quarterfinals, fans around the league didn't quite know what to expect out of the pairing of the Yorkton Terriers and Humboldt Broncos in what would be a rematch of the 2012/13 Canalta Cup.
After all Yorkton would rise as defending champions following league title win over the Broncos in six games last spring, earning their division crown in the Viterra Division along with home ice advantage in the playoffs thanks to having the league's best record. Meanwhile Humboldt slumped since Christmas, falling out of first place in the Kramer Division and into third before getting tested by the Melfort Mustangs in their quarterfinal series. Based on the numbers heading into the series, one couldn't be blamed for expecting a series a little less tight then the league final last year where the Broncos were defending champions and first in the SJHL heading into the Canalta Cup.
Any expectations of a less tight series were quickly thrown away however, as the Terriers and Broncos treated the fans of Yorkton and Humboldt to three classic playoff games this week with the Terriers coming up on top in Game Two and Game Three to take a 2-1 series lead.
Game One would provide the biggest shock of the series as Humboldt would come out flying, grabbing a two goal lead in the first period off of goals from Rhett Blackmur and Matthew Audette to go into the first intermission up 2-0. For a Yorkton crowd that isn't accustomed to seeing the Terriers lose games at home and especially in the playoffs it would be a shock scoreline for the fans at the Farrell Agencies Arena to see the hometown defending champs down two goals after 20 minutes of play.
Yorkton would answer big in the second period after some dressing room inspiration and adjustments from head coach Trent Cassan as the Terriers looked like the league's top team in the second frame. A goal from leading scorer Brett Boehm would make it 2-1 before Logan Sproule would pull one back for Humboldt to push the lead back to 3-1. That wouldn't deter the Terriers second period flurry as late in the second the hosts did their most damage with two late markers from Dylan Johnson and Chase Norrish tied the game up at 3-3 heading into intermission. Both Johnson and Norrish's goals would be their fourth of the playoffs with Norrish's coming with just three seconds left to get the home crowd off their feet.
That momentum would carry over into the opening moments of the third as the Terriers would grab the lead for the first time on the night through goals from Zach Zadorozniak and Tyler Giebel to take a 5-3 lead. With full control of the game, an excited FAA crowd felt the first game win was in the bag after some late panic, Humboldt had other ideas.
Goals from Gray Marr and Kelly Oleniuk would tie the game at 5-5, sending Yorkton into overtime for the second time in the SJHL Playoffs. Yorkton would dominate in the first two overtimes, but could not find a way to beat rookie Ryland Pashovitz or the Broncos defense which found expected new energy after coming back from 5-3 down in the third period as the game went into a third overtime.
In the third overtime the Terriers would lose their legs, getting outshot 19-4 over 17:58 of the third extra period before David Miazga found the back of the net for Humboldt to give them a shocking 1-0 series lead after a night of big ups and big downs for the Terriers.
Terriers goaltender Kale Thomson would make 64 saves in the loss while Humboldt's Ryland Pashovitz would make an equally impressive 57 saves as the two teams played nearly 120 minutes of hockey to settle the opening game of the series.
Luckily for both teams Game Two would be played after a well earned day off as Yorkton would go into Humboldt needing to return the favour with a stolen win on the road to regain their home ice advantage in the series.
The Terriers would do just that, as after two goals apiece from Brett Boehm and Cody Pongracz saw Game Two tied 2-2 after regulation it would be Yorkton that would break the home fans hearts on the road with an overtime goal to earn a huge win on road ice in the series.
After a back and forth first overtime, Yorkton would outshoot Humboldt 8-1 in the second OT as Kailum Gervais would be the hero for the Terriers scoring a powerplay goal following a Logan Sproule tripping penalty to level the series at 1-1.
Travelling back to Yorkton for Game Three, the Terriers knew that a win was necessary even if it wouldn't come easy as both teams looked to gain a 2-1 series lead before the semifinal shifted back to Humboldt for Game Four.
Yorkton would draw first blood on the powerplay as Boehm would continue his strong semifinal play with his fifth goal of the playoffs to give the Terriers a 1-0 lead. The lead wouldn't last until the intermission however as Pongracz matched Boehm's powerplay effort with a goal of his own on the PP to tie the game at 1-1/
After Chase Norrish scored in the second the Terriers would again give up the lead late in the period before Humboldt took a shocking early third period lead with two goals in 30 seconds to give the Broncos a 4-2 lead.
That lead would carry over into the final ten minutes of play as with a silenced Farrell Agencies Arena crowd it looked like the defending champions were fully on the ropes against the Broncos before Boehm would once again bring the fans to their feet with his second of the night after a turnover from Pashovitz behind the net gave the sniper an open cage to put Yorkton within one.
Still needing a goal, rookie Zach Zadorozniak stepped up in a big way, scoring the game tying goal by diving headfirst into the Broncos post to tap in a rebound past Pashovitz to tie the game at four.
With the momentum fully in their favour, the Terriers would get s powerplay after Boehm was dragged down on a breakaway chance. Denied a penalty shot, Boehm would make no mistake on the powerplay giving the Terriers the 5-4 lead with his hattrick goal.
Tayler Thompson would add insurance on an empty net goal before the Broncos scored one more with time expiring to make it a 6-5 final.
With a 2-1 series lead attentions will shift back to Humboldt for Game Four and a chance for Yorkton to make Friday's Game Five an elimination game with a win. Something captain Devon McMullen says they can't focus on.
"We know that Game Four is a big chance to push ourselves towards the final, but we are only going to get there by taking it one shift at a time, one play at a time," says McMullen.
Focusing one game at a time may be harder for the fans, after three tight games the city likely would prefer if the Terriers could end the series as soon as possible. After two overtimes and one extremely late comeback, the FAA faithful might not be able to take more nailbiting finishes.
