The Yorkton RawTec Maulers took three of a possible four points from the visiting Saskatoon Blazers on the weekend.
The action leaves Yorkton with a 15-14-2-3 record and 35 points, good enough for sixth spot in the Saskatchewan AAA Midget Hockey League, one point back of the Saskatoon Contacts and three points up on the Saskatoon Blazers. The Notre Dame Hounds lead the league with 68-points.
The contest Saturday against the visiting Blazers would be a seesaw battle.
It took the visiting Blazers only 41-seconds to open the scoring on a goal by Max Gudnaso.
The Maulers would take advantage of their powerplay to tie the score when Jackson Berezowski struck at 11:49.
In the second period the Maulers would pull ahead 3-1 on a powerplay goal by Reid Arnold and an even strength marker by Ryder Korczak, before James Form potted one for Saskatoon to make it 3-2 after 40-minutes.
In the third period Tom Cadieux tied the score for the Blazers, and Form would give them a one goal edge.
However, 19-seconds after the Form goal Aiden Bulych would score to draw the Maulers even.
The game would go to the shoot-out with the Blazers taking the win.
Dakota Berezowski was in the Mauler net for the loss facing 26-shots, while Matthew Pesenti took the win for Saskatoon facing 32.
Mauler head coach Kevin Rawlick said the team was not happy missing a point on Saturday, but a slow start hurt the home team.
鈥淲e were really hesitant the first and second period of game one,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t seemed we just weren鈥檛 going to the puck.鈥�
Sunday was a different story as the Maulers rolled over the Blazers.
Rawlick said after the disappointment of the OT loss Saturday pregame motivation came rather easy for Sunday鈥檚 game.
鈥淚 told them we knew we were better than they (the Blazers) were 鈥� Go out and prove your better,鈥� he related.
Zach McIntyre gave Yorkton a 1-0 lead 27-seconds into the game, and the route was on.
Ryder Pierson on the powerplay would make it 2-0 through 20-minutes.
McIntyre would score back-to-back goals 46-seconds apart in the second to complete a hat trick, and Aiden Bulych would add a powerplay marker to extend the Mauler lead to 5-0 through two periods.
Tanner Hoffman with a powerplay marker made it 6-0 early in the third period, before James Form ruined Jordan Schmuland鈥檚 shut-out bid in the Yorkton net.
Jackson Berezowski would add one more for the Maulers to complete a 7-1 victory.
Rawlick said one key difference was the Maulers commitment to taking shots.
鈥淪hoot the puck and see what happens, it was sort of our mantra on the weekend,鈥� he said.
Schmuland would face 29-shots in the win, while Adam Dmyterko would start for Saskatoon and allow four goals on 21-shots, before being relieved by Matthew Pesenti who gave up three goals on 22 shots.
Up next
Thursday the Maulers host the Notre Dame Hounds at the Farrell Agencies Arena for an 8 p.m. game start.
On the weekend Yorkton heads to Swift Current to face the Legionnaires in games Saturday and Sunday.
