When the Yorkton Terriers started their SJHL title defense back in September, one thing they likely weren't counting on is another tight division race with the Melville Millionaires, a team that lost the league MVP and top offensive player last season and by all accounts were attempting to rebuild after two near misses in the playoffs prevented them from earning their first league title. Yet going into Saturday's clash with the Nipawin Hawks, the fifth game of a seven game road trip, the Terriers were battling with the Mils for points in November an unlikely scenario going into the season.
With assistant coach/assistant general manager Gord Pritchard behind the bench with head coach Trent Cassan in Yarmouth, Nova Scotia as part of Canada West's coaching staff at the World Jr. A Challenge and Casey O, Brien off coaching Team Sask, the Terriers would give starter Kale Thomson the call in between the pipes. It would turn out to be a busy night for the veteran, who would reach the 50 save plateau for the first time in 2013/14.
As expected veteran Nipawin Hawk Tad Kozun got on the board early on the powerplay scoring his 15th goal of the season with Tayler Thompson in the box for hooking keeping the Terriers best penalty killing forward off of the ice. Nipawin's Michael Lambert would score two minutes later to give the Hawks a 2-0 lead into the first intermission.
Down 2-0 rookie Colton Procter would give the Terriers life with his first of the year as the Terriers checking line of Procter. John Odgers and Matthew Cox combined to give the visitors a much needed jump after the Hawks took a two goal lead. After Procter's goal three minutes into the period swung the momentum, Josh Ellis would tie the game up before the halfway point of the second period, scoring his third of the season on the powerplay off of assists from Tyson Enzie and Chase Norrish to even the game at 2-2 where it would remain heading into the third period.
Nipawin would get the lead back early on in the third as blueliner Maxim Powiada put home his second of the season past Thomson to give the Hawks a 3-2 lead. With time running out the Terriers would find their hero from a familiar place as their blueline once again would come up big when they needed them the most as Brady Norrish would score his sixth of the season to send the game into overtime.
In the shootout the Terriers would get a goal from Tayler Thompson to put the pressure on the Hawks, but Tad Kozun would once again show why he is an early favourite for MVP by tying the game for the Hawks yet again before Mitch Doell won it in the fourth round after misses from Kailum Gervais and Zach Zadorozniak. For Yorkton it would be their second straight loss after regulation and a game that kept Melville atop of the standings.
The Mils defeated Humboldt in a shootout 2-1 behind the hot play of SJHL Goaltender of the Week Isaiah Plett, but they would see their clash with Notre Dame cancelled due to a strike between The City of Melville and their employees that kept the Mils game from being able to go. Uncertainty surrounding their home games may kill off some of their momentum but head coach Jamie Fiesell surprisingly has Melville atop of the league with 25 points through 17 games so far.
For the Terriers they sit third in the league with 22 points with two games left in La Ronge before they can head back home to host the Kramer Division leading Kindersely Klippers on Sunday. On Sunday the Terriers will also be wearing camo jerseys in support of Canadian soldiers in conjunction with the public schools.
With just under one month left until the Christmas break, the Terriers are right on schedule for another successful regular season, but the biggest surprise is the brewing early division race between the defending champs and their Highway 10 rivals. If the Terriers have any say about it, that race will be won by the defending champs sooner rather than later.
