Brendan Kerr broke the scoreless tie in the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League encounter with a goal 14:05 into the contest.
An unassisted effort by Elliot Dutil at 18:10 extended the lead to 2-0 heading to the dressing rooms.
A powerplay marker by Connor Nolan 5:05 into the second made it 3-0 for the visitors.
But, the Terriers got back into the game with a pair of unassisted efforts, the first by Erik Boers at 7:17, then by Carson Henry at 15:51.
But that would be as close as the Terriers would get, even after having a five-minute powerplay after Notre Dame starting netminder Austin Elliot was assessed a major and game misconduct for an attempt to injure at 2:50 of the third.
Ryley Osland would finish the game stopping 11-of-11 to preserve the win.
Terrier head coach Mat Hehr said the major was a missed opportunity.
“We need to figure out that killer mentality,” he said, adding “the last two, or three games in-a-row the powerplay hasn’t been scoring.”
Hehr said it will be back to video and practice to get the powerplay working better.
Kevin Anderson would score the only goal of the final frame, into an empty net with eight seconds left.
Jacob Herman took the loss in the Yorkton net facing 20-shots.
The loss leaves Yorkton with a 1-4 record.
Asked if the losses were the result of a largely new roster after nearly two full seasons without hockey due to COVID-19, Hehr said that might have some impact, but it can’t be an excuse.
“It’s definitely been a feeling out process, to figure out where guys fit,” he said.
“(But), I hate to use that as an excuse. I feel every team has new faces in the league.”
The issue for the Terriers is execution, offered the head coach.
“We’re not doing the little things for 60-minutes,” said Hehr.
The Terriers have kept games close though, and wins will come, predicted Hehr.
“Eventually the bounces have to go our way,” he said. “. . . A bounce here or there we could be four-and-one, or three-and-two.”
It was little mistakes that led to the 3-0 Hound lead, and that worked to Notre Dame’s advantage.
“They play defensively very well,” said Hehr.
In the past the Terriers might have had a sniper, or two who could get the team back into a game on individual effort, but that is not the case with the current edition of the team, said Hehr.
“On this team we score by committee,” he said.
Yorkton plays Flin Flon Monday for their next action.
