With their playoff lives on the line Yorkton would host LaRonge for a pair of games on the long weekend, losing both to the Icewolves who hold the league鈥檚 worst record and with the losses all hope of a playoff berth.
The losses left Yorkton with a 12-35-3-2 record and 29 points 12 back of Melville in the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League鈥檚 Viterra Division. Estevan tops the Viterra with 63 points followed by Weyburn with 56.
Sunday afternoon the LaRonge Icewolves visited the Terriers with the teams playing through a scoreless opening period.
The teams would trade goals in the second, Matthews Perkins giving the Terriers a lead which lasted just shy of five-minutes when Slater Strong tied the game with a powerplay effort.
It was more trading on markers in the third.
The Icewolves took the lead on a goal by Mitch Zambon, only to have Joshua Dobberthien knotting the game 2-2.
Connor Smith restored a LaRonge lead with an unassisted effort, but again the Terriers tied the score on a Brendan Mark score.
The 3-3 tie would hold through regulation time taking the game to overtime where Smith scored the game-winner for LaRonge at 3:43.
Merek Pipes was the winning netminder facing 38-shots, while Ben Laidlaw took the loss facing 33 in the Yorkton net.
The teams met again Monday afternoon.
The teams played through a scoreless first period, with LaRonge taking a 2-0 lead in the second on goals by Nolan Dawson and Justin Bill.
Fifteen seconds into the third the Terriers were given life by a short-handed goal by Quinten Hobbs.
But that would be it in terms of Yorkton offence while Antonio Di Paolo and Tanner Brewster scored for the Icewolves in a 4-1 win.
Merek Pipes, who spent time on the Terrier roster earlier this year, faced 37 shots in earning the win in the LaRonge net, while Joe Marcouiller was tagged with the loss also facing 37 shots.
Terrier head coach Mat Hehr said the Terriers didn鈥檛 give the effort they needed against the Icewolves, while LaRonge came in and played hard.
鈥淕ive them all the credit in the world. They were prepared to play and we weren鈥檛.鈥�
Hehr said coming off some of their best hockey in what has been a difficult season, it seemed the Terriers felt the Icewolves, with only eight wins coming into Yorkton were going to be easy pickings.
鈥淲e seemed to think we could not do the little things right, not work so hard, and still get it done,鈥� he said, adding LaRonge was not ready to roll over for the Terriers.
The Klippers visit
Kindersley was also at the Farrell Agencies Arena Friday with the teams playing through a scoreless opening period.
The Terriers broke the scoreless tie 1:22 into the second period when Cole Keenleyside popped an unassisted marker.
Chantz Petruic would make it 2-0 before the teams headed to the dressing room after 40-minutes of play.
Nikolas Malenica got the Klippers back into the game with a short-handed goal 10:22 into the final frame.
But Keenleyside would put the game away in favour of the home side completing a hat trick with a powerplay marker 14:13 into the second, and a penalty shot goal at 17:19.
Joe Marcouiller had the win in the Yorkton net facing 37 shots, with Zack Johnson tagged with the loss for Kindersley facing 44.
Happy Valentine鈥檚
Yorkton hosted Kindersley on Valentine鈥檚 Day, and the visiting Klippers struck early as Curtis Peck scored 2:23 into the contest.
A powerplay goal by Quinton Hobbs tied the contest at 8:20, but Kindersley would carry a one-goal lead to the dressing room after 20-minutes thanks to a marker by Austin Nault at 10:18.
The Klippers would extend the lead when Nikolas Malenica scored the only goal of the second frame.
But the third period would belong to the home side.
Joshua Dobbersthien would score his first goal of the season 3:43 into the contest to get the Terriers back to within one.
Hobbs would the tie the score with his second of the night, giving Cole Keeleyside the chance at the game-winner on the powerplay at 17:35.
Joe Marcouiller recorded the win facing 36-shots in the Terrier net, while Justen Close took the loss as he faced 33.
Up next
The Terriers head to Kindersley on Feb. 23 to take on the Klippers, then face the same team Saturday.
Flin Flon visits the Farrell Agencies Arena on Feb. 27.
With their playoff hopes officially ended Hehr said his approach will change somewhat moving forward.
鈥淲e鈥檒l definitely get some more APs (affiliated players) in the line-up,鈥� he said, adding the rest of the season will be about evaluating talent for next season.
Hehr said there are going to be changes by fall, with an eye to more local talent, but added he is starting from a reasonable foundation with only goaltender Marcouiller not eligible to return.
鈥淚 really do like these guys,鈥� he said. 鈥淚f we had started with these guys back in September we鈥檇 be in a playoff spot for sure.鈥�
But with all the trades through the year the team just never got to jell as they needed too, said the Terrier coach.
鈥淲e ran out of time,鈥� he said.
