The Yorkton Terriers dropped their only game of the week in the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League but remain in second place in the league's Viterra Division.
The Terriers sit with an early season record of 2-3-0-l for five points, two points back of Melville. Estevan sits third with four points, with Weyburn last with two points.
The Terriers lone action of the week was in Humboldt Saturday where the host Broncos led 1-0 after 20-minutes and rolled to a 5-0 win.
Thomas Stanislavski scored the first period goal on the powerplay.
Corey Dambrauskas made it 2-0 at 3:20 of the second.
Stanislavski was back to make it a 3-0 with a second powerplay goal at 5:48.
The goal was enough, sending Dawson MacAuley to the bench after facing 19-shots as the Terriers starting netminder.
Morgan Greve and Hunter Breza added third period goals to round out the 5-0 win.
Matt Kustra finished the game in the Terrier nets facing 12-shots.
Terrier head coach Trent Cassan was not pleased about the loss.
"The last probably three games we haven't been anywhere near being able to earn points," he said.
Saturday in Humboldt it was again a situation where the Terriers were "outplayed in all aspects of the game," said Cassan.
That was something which did not sit well with the Terrier coach, who noted they had nine veteran forwards in the line-up Saturday, yet had only 24-shots, "and not a whole lot of scoring opportunities."
Cassan said while the veterans are being asked to step into larger roles than they had last season, they have 'Junior' experience, and must now put in the effort to take that step.
As it stands many veterans haven't played "up to expectations," said Cassan.
Cassan said while on some nights some players have put in a good effort, it has not happened where everybody is working like they need too.
"Collectively, as a team, we don't really have an identity yet," he said.
Cassan said it appears part of the problem is conditioning. He said, "as a team" the Terriers don't seem "able to get up and down the ice for 30-seconds."
As a result Cassan said getting the team into better game condition is a priority.
"Certainly the next couple of weeks it's something we really have to work on," he said.
Up next
The Terriers are scheduled to host Humboldt tonight at the Farrell Agencies Arena.
Friday the current season edition of the Highway 10 rivalry with Melville begins with the Millionaires visiting the Terriers.
Saturday the Mils will host Yorkton in the back-half of a home-and-home set.
