The Yorkton Harvest returned to home ice for their first game of the new year in grand style, recording their second win in six games. Two quick third period goals scored within a minute lifted the Harvest to a 4-2 win over the Tisdale Trojans at the Farrell Agencies Arena Thursday night. The teams were even at two goals apiece after 40 minutes before Yorkton broke the game open for the win.
Jarret Fontaine struck first in the opening frame to give the visitors a one goal lead.
Kailum Gervais tied the game with a power play marker late in the period assisted by Kade Halabuza and Levi Cable to send the teams to the dressing room knotted at one.
Dustin Skilliter scored the go-ahead goal early in the second period assisted by Tanner LeSann and Cable.
Ty Mclean evened things up late in the period to leave the contest tied at two after two periods.
The Harvest came out on fire in the third period, scoring two quick goals in less than a minute to put the game away. Kody Thue struck first to score the game winner at 14:28 assisted by Josh Lees and Ryley Stefanyshyn.
LeSann added the insurance marker 32 seconds later to capp game scoring assisted by Rylan Badduke.
Harvest head coach Graham Garrett sums up the first four games of the new year. He says it's tough when a team goes three weeks without playing. It showed up in the game against the Beardy's Blackhawks. "We sort of ran out of our legs there in the third period," he suggests.
The next game against Prince Albert was a close game until things got a little out of hand at the end of the game. "We ended up taking some suspensions and pretty much washed the next game we played against them," he explains.
The Harvest played very well against the Saskatoon Contacts. Giving up a short handed goal in the third period pretty much took the wind out of the Harvest's sails, Garret says.
Yorkton put it altogether against the Saskatoon Blazers to record an 8-0 shutout win, he notes.
The Harvest are back on track with the win at home against the Trojans, Garrett proposes.
So far the team appears reasonably healthy going into the new year. The week off because of exams will help to heal any bumps and bruises which may be affecting anyone's game, Garrett suggests. "The guys are going to focus on their exams and we'll get back at her next Thursday," he says.
Garrett is hoping to have a strong finish heading into playoffs. "Where that puts us, it puts us," he says. He acknowledges the Harvest put themselves behind the 8-ball at the start of the season, giving up some points at home and some points on the road they should have earned. "It's put us in chase mode but we're comfortably in a playoff spot and as long as we're healthy going into the playoffs we'll be fine against whoever we play," he closes.
