The Terriers are back in the Sherwood Conference final for the second straight season, and again the foes are the Kindersley Klippers.
The best-of-seven Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League series will begin Friday at the Farrell Agencies Arena in Yorkton, with Game 2 in the city Saturday.
Action flips to Kindersley's rink for Game 3 and 4 Tuesday and Wednesday.
Terrier head coach Trent Cassan said he expects the series will be a long one because he sees the teams as very evenly matched.
"I think it will be an excellent series," he said. "I think it's going to be a very long and grueling series. Kindersley bench boss Rocky Zinger's first comment on the series was, "it should be interesting."
Zinger said the match-up is one he thinks fans were hoping for, as well as his team. "It's what a lot of guys in our room were hoping for."
Like Cassan, Zinger is expecting an extended series. "There's going to a lot of ups and a lot of downs. It's going to be a roller coaster," he predicted. Cassan said in his mind the teams mirror each other in many ways.
"I think both teams are very similar as far as speed, offensive ability as depth goes."
Zinger said the styles do jive.
"Both teams like to play similar styles. Both teams like to push the pace," he said.
Statistically the teams are similar, finishing one-two in the conference in the regular season, the Terriers in first with 76 points, with the Klippers having 73.
Kindersley actually ended up with one more win, 35, on the season than the Terriers.
The Klippers did outscore Yorkton on the season 240-209. The 240-goals were a Conference-best.
But the Terriers were stingier on defence allowing only 178-goals, a Conference-best, compared to 194 for Kindersley.
Individually, Johnny Calkins was the Klippers top scorer in the regular season with 93-points, based on 25-goals and 68-assists.
Braden Adamyk had and 82-point season, with 42-goals.
The tandem finished fourth and sixth in league scoring.
The Terriers' Jeremy Boyer had an 87-point year, with 42-goals, while Justin Buzzeo had 82-points. The duo were fifth and seventh respectively in league scoring.
Kindersley goaltender Sean Cahill played in 25-games in the regular season winning 16, with a goals against average (GAA) of 3.01 and a .906 save percentage.
Devin Peters played in 35 games for Yorkton, winning 22, with a 2.95 GAA and a .906 save percentage, while Warren Shymko played in 28 games, won 12, with a 2.86 GAA and a .910 save percentage.
With the same approach and near matching numbers Zinger questioned, "where's the wiggle room? There isn't a whole bunch Even as a coach trying to prepare going over game videos, everything's so close."
With two teams which appeared evenly matched Cassan said it's less about preparing to play the Klippers and more about doing what the Terriers want to do themselves.
"I think we keep the same mindset we had all year, and in the first round, and take it one game at a time," he said.
That said, Cassan said they do want to play well in the opening games to set up the rest of the series.
"Having home ice advantage is something you work hard for all year, so it's something you want to take advantage of," he said, adding winning in Kindersley won't be easy. "It's a very tough place to get any kind of wins."
Cassan said in order to get the wins, he sees the Terriers taking a sort of split approach in preparing for the Klippers.
"There will be some things that we work on (specifically for Kindersley)," he offered. "But, at the same time we know the type of game we want to play." Cassan noted for the most part the "Terrier" approach to games "has been working for us."
Zinger said the opening game is going to be huge.
"One team is going to set the pace for the game and the series," he said.
Cassan said small things will become big in a tight series.
"I think when both teams are as even as we are it's probably execution and limiting the mistakes," he said.
Zinger added it could become a series of attrition too.
"I think the difference will be which team has the most healthy bodies at the end of the series," he said. "And, the team that stays disciplined."
The Terriers are hoping to be nearer a full roster by Friday, after Brent Struble, Justin Lamontagne, Blaine Tendler and Kelly Leismeister missing Game 4 of the team's semi-final win over Estevan.
When asked if any of the players would be ready for Friday, Cassan replied, "I certainly hope so," adding "we've taken it day-to-day with some of these guys for a long time." He said some of them are certainly close to returning to action.
