The Yorkton Terriers are back in a tie for top spot of the Viterra Division of the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League.
A win and shoot-out loss boosted the Terriers to 29 points on the season, based on a 13-5-1-2 record, the same point total as Melville. Estevan has 22-points and Weyburn 17 to round out the Viterra quartet.
Weyburn visited the Farrell Agencies Arena Friday.
The Wings and Terriers played through a scoreless first period.
Gervais broke the scoreless tie with a powerplay marker 1:44 into the second period for the home team.
Shain Scheschuk tied the score late in the period with a Wing goal at 17:28.
Gatzke struck for his first goal of the season at 8:41 of the third to give the Terriers a lead.
It was a short-lived advantage as Brian Farkas tied the game for Weyburn with a score at 11:15.
The game would stay locked at twos through the rest of the third, and then through the five-minute, four-on-four overtime, forcing the teams to the shoot-out.
Three Terriers shooters would fail to score versus winning goaltender Rylan Parenteau, while Kyle Oleniuk would squeeze one between Thomson's pads to give Weyburn a 3-2 win.
Parenteau faced 45-shots in the win, Thomson 26 in the loss.
Sunday it was a scoreless first period with the Flin Flon Bombers in the city.
Yorkton hit the board first in the second period as Kailum Gervais struck at the 5:43 mark.
Tyson Enzie made it 2-0 Terriers before Danys Chartrand responded with a goal for the Bombers 12:46 into the frame.
Dalton Menke would restore a two-goal Terrier lead with a marker at 18:55 of the middle frame.
Daylan Gatzke would add an insurance marker for Yorkton with a powerplay at the 11-minute marker of the third, rounding out the 4-1 win.
Kale Thomson had the win facing 22-shots in the Yorkton net, while Simon Hofley was tagged with the loss facing 32-shots in the Flin Flon net.
Terrier head coach Trent Cassan said the team's performance Sunday was better than two nights earlier.
"Friday it was a little bit scrambly," he said, adding they discussed a few things about Friday's game in practice Saturday, and it worked, noting the win Sunday "was just a better game all around."
That the team responded to some coaching Saturday was also something Cassan saw as positive.
"It shows guys are listening and coachable," he said, adding a team needs to make adjustments as the season goes along.
"It's a process of trying to improve."
Cassan said Menke's goal late in the second was a big one.
"It gave us a two-goal cushion again," he said.
It was also important Gatzke scored his first goal of the season on the weekend, said Cassan.
"Realistically we needed him too," said the Terrier coach, adding the team needs Gatzke to score, especially with Tyler Giebel out with an injury.
Gatzke said the goals were big.
"It's a really big monkey off my back," he said, quickly adding, "it's all my linemates credit."
Gatzke said he, Menke, and Dylan Johnson have really begun to click in recent games, and it has led to first goals for both he and Menke in recent action.
While goals have been a bit late in coming for Gatzke, he said he has tried to remain focused on working hard and doing "whatever I can to help the team win."
As for the shoot-out loss Friday, the Terriers had chances amid their 45-shots.
Cassan said Parenteau "is a very good goaltender," adding that he is just 17-years-old too. "We've seen him four times and he's been very good every time we've played him."
The two games were the first on the bench for Cassan in several games as he was with Canada West at the 2013 World Junior A Challenge as an assistant coach, winning the bronze medal 5-3 over Switzerland.
"It was a great experience, my first opportunity at the international level," said Cassan, adding at such a level the compete level, speed and skill was very high.
As a coach, Cassan said the World event was a good place to pick up a few concepts.
"You watch the international teams and pick up the ideas," he said, adding it's more how a team works systems, as opposed to startlingly new concepts. "There's not a lot of original ideas anymore."
So will the international experience make Cassan a better Terrier coach?
"I hope so," he said. "That's why you do it."
Up next
Tonight (Wednesday) LaRonge visits the Terriers at the Farrell Agencies Arena.
Friday Melville is in Yorkton. The game will be the annual 'Teddy Bear Toss' for the Terriers, with the plush toys collected going to the Salvation Army for Christmas distribution.
The Terriers head to the Mills barn for action Saturday.
Next Tuesday (Nov. 26) Yorkton is scheduled to visit Estevan.
