The Yorkton Terriers continue to scuffle through the current Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League season with two more in the loss column over the weekend.
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The Terrier record now sits at 5-21-2 for 12 points and a .214 win percentage worst in the SJHL, as they sit in the basement of the Viterra Division.
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Estevan, who the Terriers meet twice this weekend, leads the Viterra with 37 points. Weyburn is second with 34 points, with Melville third with 22.
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Saturday the Terriers were in Humboldt where the host Broncos threw up eight goals for the win.
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Conner Lukan started the barrage early scoring for the Broncos 1:55 in.
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Cody Bruchkowski got that one back for the Terriers at 4:34. Bruchkowski had been named the SJHL Rookie Of The Week for his efforts a week earlier, having plated three games with a goal and three assists.
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Terrier head coach Matt Hehr said Bruchkowski has been a bright spot for the team.
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鈥淗e鈥檚 been great for us. He鈥檚 scored some clutch goals for us,鈥� said Hehr, adding at only 18-years of age Bruchkowski has 鈥渟uch a bright future.鈥�
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Then in a span of five minutes six goals would be scored, but only one by a Terrier as Dino Antoniadis scored his first with the team.
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Brauden Camrud, Bryce Fiske, Jaxon Joseph and Lukan had the Bronco markers.
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Quinton Hobbs potted a third Terrier goal with the only marker of the second frame.
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But the third belonged to Humboldt with Morgan Gobell, Graysen Cameron and Camrud rounding out the 8-3 victory.
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Joe Marcouiller started in the Terrier nets facing 41 shots and allowing six goals before being pulled in favour of Ben Laidlaw who allowed two goals on 20 shots.
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The same teams faced off at the Farrell Agencies Arena Sunday, and the results were much the same with the Broncos winning 7-2.
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Lukan again started things for the Broncos scoring at 4:51 of the first, and again Bruchkowski responded for the Terriers at 18:56 of the opening frame.
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The 1-1 tie would not last long as Jaxon Joseph gave Humboldt a 2-1 lead at 19:13 of the first.
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The second was all Humboldt with Lukan, Joseph and Derek Patter all scoring for Humboldt.
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In the third Josh Bryant had his first with the Terriers this season, but it was sandwiched between Bronco goals by Camrud and Layne Matechuk.
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Ben Laidlaw faced 38 shots in the loss for the Terriers.
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Hehr said the Terriers lacked discipline against the Broncos.
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鈥淲e spend way too much time taking penalties,鈥� he said.听 鈥溾�� If we stay out of the box we鈥檙e in a lot more games.鈥�
Trades continue
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Hehr might be new to his role as head coach and general manager but he has not been timid is making deals.
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In mid-November the Terriers sent 20-year old forward William Brochu to the Kanata Lasers in exchange for 20-year old goaltender Joe Marcouiller. Brochu played in 18 games for the Terriers this season, recording 7 goals and 3 assists for a total of 10 points as well as 31 penalty minutes. Marcouiller started the year in the NAHL before joining Kanata. While in Kanata, he played in 6 games, recording a 3.26 GAA and 0.913 Save Percentage.
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In the second trade, the Yorkton Terriers dealt 18-year old d-man Charlie Risk to the Drayton Valley Thunder in exchange for a Player Development Fee and Future Considerations. Risk played in 18 games for the Terriers, recording 1 goal and 9 assists for 10 points as well as 20 penalty minutes.听
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The Terriers also made a trade with the Selkirk Steelers of the Manitoba Junior Hockey League. The Terriers traded the rights to 1998-born defenceman Colby Haugen and a Player Development Fee in exchange for 鈥�99-born Forward Evan Nicholas. Nicholas is from Thunder Bay, ON.
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The Terriers have also moved veteran forward and team Captain Dexter Robinson to the Weyburn Red Wings in exchange for 19-year-old forward Matthew Jones and future considerations.听
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Dexter had spent 2.5 years with the Terriers organization racking up 45 points in 143 games played. He was named captain last summer, and was a solid role model on and off the ice for the Terriers. He would often take the time to sign autographs after games despite the score outcome, and meet with fans in the community on his own time.
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Matthew鈥檚 home town is Dinsmore, SK. He stands six-feet and weighs 195 pounds. In 2016-17, he played for the Lloydminister Bobcats of the AJHL, recording 8 points in 43 games played. Since joining the Weyburn Red Wings this season, he had played in 22 games and recorded one goal and two assists. The goal he scored was a game winner as well.听
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Hehr told Yorkton This Week Monday said the deals are not a sign he is giving up on the current season, but are part of a plan to build toward next year, while getting better now too.
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鈥淚 don鈥檛 want to give up on this year 鈥� (but), I want to build something,鈥� he said.
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Hehr pointed out the team has managed only one playoff win since winning the Royal Bank Cup in 2014.
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鈥淥bviously for a community this size it鈥檚 just unacceptable to do that,鈥� he said.
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The Terrier boss suggested the team as is has not fared well.
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鈥淲e鈥檙e really easy to play against,鈥� he said, adding in making moves he wants to build the foundation of a team that works hard every night and battles to get back to winning ways.
Up next
The Terriers head south to play Estevan Friday, with the Bruins back in Yorkton Saturday.
