The Yorkton Terriers made a two-game road swing on the weekend, losing both.
Terrier head coach Trent Cassan said the two losses were not the kind of effort he wants to see from his team.
"Both games there were some things that don't sit well with me," he said. " It's something as a staff, getting one point out of four is not acceptable to us."
Cassan said the situation was one that would be addressed in practice this week.
With only one point from the shoot-out loss, the Terriers have slipped into second place in the SJHL Viterra Division with 52-points based on a record of 23-9-2-4, now four points back of rival Melville's 56.
Estevan sits third with 45-points, followed by Weyburn with 31.
Sunday in Kindersley Tyson Enzie scored the only goal of the first period to give the Terriers a 1-0.
In the second Brett Boehm made it 2-0 on the powerplay with a goal 7:10 into the second. Riley Hunt then added a short-handed marker at 9:10, his first as a Terrier to make it 3-0.
Cassan said Hunt's arrival from Junior 'B' in British Columbia at the SJHL trade deadline will add depth for the Terriers.
While Hunt is a smaller forward, Cassan said he is "quick and sees the ice well."
The second half of the game belonged to the host Klippers, and their powerplay units.
Connor Garden and Jared Pilet both scored with a man advantage late in the second period to draw the host team within one.
Brandon Lauder tied the game 3-3 with the Klippers third powerplay marker at 16:02 of the third.
The game would remain knotted at threes through regulation time, and then through the five-minute, four-on-four, extra frame.
Kindersley finally completed their comeback win in the shoot-out 4-3.
Riley Medves was in the Terrier net facing 38-shots in the loss, while Tyrell King backstopped the Klippers to the win facing 35-shots.
Cassan said while the Terriers put in an overall better effort in Kindersley, it was still a game he was not altogether happy with.
The Terrier coach said the game was one he felt was "not very well managed by officials", a situation which left both teams frustrated.
"There was a lot of specialty team play for both teams," he said.
Still, Cassan said that officiating was not the reason the Terriers gave up a 3-0 lead.
Saturday the Terriers scored first against the hometown Battlefords North Stars as Boehm had the only goal of the first period.
Kyle Schmidt tied the game for the Stars with a powerplay marker 3:23 into the second frame.
Blake Young popped the eventual game 6:17 into the middle period.
Jake McMillen added an insurance goal for the home team with a powerplay marker 5:33 into the third to complete a 3-1 Battlefords win.
Medves took the loss in the Yorkton net facing 35-shots.
The Terriers had 33-shots at game-winning netminder Michael Gudmandson.
"Saturday we had a good first period. After that we really just got outworked," said Cassan. "In the second and third they really took it to us."
Additions
While deadline pick up Hunt's presence was felt with a goal on the weekend, the Terriers also bolstered their already strong blueline, adding defenceman Tanner Lishchynsky to the roster.
Lishchynsky is a 19-year-old rearguard who is back with the Terriers after a stint in the Western Hockey League's Prince George Cougars.
"He's going to be a real solid defenceman. You know you're going to get an honest effort every night," said Cassan, who noted Lishchynsky had played a couple of 'AP' games with the Terriers as a 16-year-old.
Up next
Friday the Terriers head north to face Flin Flon, then visit Nipawin Sunday.
The Terriers next home action is Tuesday, Jan. 21, when the La Ronge Ice Wolves visit the Farrell Agencies Arena for a 7:30p.m. start time.
