It was two more games, two more losses for the Yorkton Terriers.
The losses left the Terriers with a record of 8-29-2-1 for 19 points and the basement in the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League Viterra Division. The Terriers sit nine points back of third place Melville with 28-points. Estevan leads the Viterra with 54-points, with Weyburn second with 48-points.
The first loss came Friday as the Terriers hosted Battlefords North Stars.
It took the Stars only 1:18 to hit the scoreboard on a goal by MacGregor Sinclair.
Troy Gerein and Connor McIntosh would extent the lead to 3-0 before the end of the first period.
Drew Coughlin put the Terriers on the scoreboard at 5:30 of the second, before Matthais Urbanski and Parker Smyth with an unassisted, short-handed effort extended the Battlefords lead to 5-1.
A powerplay goal 2:59 into the third period by Cole Johnson, and markers by Blake Fennig and Urbanski with his second of the night would make it an 8-1 margin, before Slater Strong scored for Yorkton with the last goal of the game to make it an 8-2 final.
Ben Laidlaw started the game in the net for Yorkton, but after allowing seven goals on 32 shots, and the loss, was relieved by Joe Marcouiller who gave up one.
Joel Grzybowski earned the win for Battledfords facing 34-shots.
Terrier head coach Mat Hehr said the scoreboard was not indicative of the play in the contest.
鈥淔riday night I really thought we had a good game,鈥� he said, adding the game 鈥渨as not reflective of the score.鈥�
Offensively, Hehr said the Terriers had a number of good chances and had they buried them they would have been in the game.
鈥淲e were a bit snake bitten,鈥� he suggested.
On the other side the Stars rolled, admitted Hehr.
鈥淭hey have a high-powered offense. They only have a handful of losses and it showed,鈥� he said.
Saturday Nipawin was in the city to play a rare afternoon tilt with the Terriers.
Tyler Adams scored the only goal of the first period for the Hawks with one-second left on the clock.
Logan Casavant and Josh McDougall with a powerplay marker extended the lead to 3-0 through 40-minutes of play.
In the third Kenzie Arnold and Chad McCartney made it 5-0 with third period goals.
Marcouiller took the loss in the Terrier net facing 44-shots in the loss.
Declan Hobbs earned the shut-out turning away all 21 Terrier shots.
Hehr was not happy with the results or the effort Saturday.
鈥淚t wasn鈥檛 pretty,鈥� he said, suggesting the visitors 鈥減retty much controlled the pace of the game.鈥�
Coming off a good effort that did not net results Friday, Hehr was hoping the effort would be back against the Hawks.
鈥淚鈥檓 disappointed we couldn鈥檛 jump on them early,鈥� he said.
The losses were not good news for a team desperate for points in pursuit of a playoff spot. Hehr said he still wants the team focused on trying for that spot, but admittedly that will be a tall order.
So the remainder of the season will also be focused on evaluation of talent for next year, so some affiliated players, such as Aidan Bulych, Keanan Sperling and Kishaun Gervais are likely to receive call-up games to see how they may fit into plans for next season.
Up next
The Terriers are scheduled to host Estevan Wednesday, January 24, at the Farrell Agencies Arena.
On Friday, Flin Flon will pay a visit to the city to take on the Terriers.
