The Yorkton Terriers began their defense of the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League and National Junior 'A' championships with a pair of wins on the weekend.
Both wins came over the Weyburn Red Wings in a home-and-home set.
A familiar face was in the Terrier nets to open the season Friday in Weyburn as Dawson MacAuley made his return to the Terriers after leading the team on an extended playoff run in the spring of 2013. MacAuley spent last season with the Regina Pats of the Western Hockey League.
Friday night in Weyburn MacAuley would face 33 shots in what would end up as a 4-2 Yorkton win.
Corwin Stevely scored the first Terrier goal of the new season 15:09 into the contest with Riley Hunt making it 2-0 at 16:07.
Dylan Johnson had the only goal of the second frame to make it 3-0.
The Wings finally scored in their home opener as Mike Eskra scored 13:57 into the third. Ian Parker drew the host team within one with a goal at 17:29.
But an empty net goal by Kurt Johnas at 19:30 put the win in the book for the Terriers.
A night later the Terriers hosted the Wings, the puck drop taking place after a ceremony which saw six banners raised to the rafters at the Farrell Agencies Arena before the puck drop.
The first period would be a scoreless affair, but it took only 1:51 into the second frame for Tyson Enzie to give the Terriers a 1-0 lead.
Adam Santoro would make it 2-0 at 2:40.
Brenden McKay on the powerplay and Trey Tendler would respond midway through the second to knot the score 2-2.
Riley Hunt would pop his second of the young season at 13:56 to re-establish a Terrier lead, a lead extended by team captain Kailum Gervais in the final minute of the second.
In the third Kurt Johnas would add to the lead midway through the frame for his fourth point of the night.
Hunt would then pop an unassisted effort into the empty net to round out a 6-2 win.
MacAuley would again get the win in net facing 21-shots, on a night his teammates generated 41 at Wings netminder Jack Burgart.
MacAuley said he is content being back with the Terriers after a year in the WHL.
"After everything that happened the last couple of weeks, I'm happy where I am now," he said, admitting that "I wanted to be in Regina, that was my goal, " but when that didn't happen he took a few days off looking for other WHL options, and when those did not materialize, he was happy to head back to the Terrier fold.
With familiar faces in the dressing room and stands, MacAuley said the home opener "was like I never left."
The lanky netminder is ready to be a Terrier this year.
"I want to stick here for the year . Now that I'm here I want to say I'll stay here," he said, adding a WHL call-up at this point "won't benefit me."
Terrier head coach Trent Cassan said MacAuley's return "was pretty seamless he just jumps back into where he was."
MacAuley's return, and that of Matt Kustra, has changed things in net for the Terriers.
Carson Bogdan is gone, maybe to Junior 'B' or other Junior 'A' options, and the Terriers have a three-man fight with Riley Medves in the mix too.
"It's something we'll have to sort out," said Cassan., adding all three "are solid goaltenders" as well as being "good off the ice."
MacAuley said he is aware the defence in front of him is new in terms of the Terriers, but added so far they are doing the job.
"I'm very impressed with the guys we have I'm very impressed with the young guys on the team," he said, adding the new faces are being put into high pressure situations such as powerplay and penalty kill, and are handling the situations.
MacAuley said in terms of defence it is more the D'men too. "As a team they're really bearing down defensively."
Up front, Johnas, over from the Manitoba Junior Hockey League, said he is liking it as a Terrier.
"I really like the guys, and it's a great coaching staff," he said. "They've really made me feel comfortable."
Johnas, who said he hopes to contribute to the offence, said he is fitting in nicely with linemates Hunt and Gervais.
"I couldn't ask for better linemates," he said.
As for adapting to the new league, Johnas said he is fitting in, but added in general players in the SJHL are bigger, "and there's a lot more hitting."
Cassan said he has liked what Johnas has brought to the table so far.
"I've been impressed with his compete level," he said, adding his forward is willing to go to the corners to make a play.
Gervais, the team's new captain likes what he sees so far, especially with two wins to start the season.
"It's huge," he said, adding while the team lost several key players from last year's championship team, the new faces are "playing hard and showing a good work ethic."
Cassan said the Terriers had great leadership last season, and he believes Gervais "learned from some very good leaders."
Overall, Cassan was happy with the wins, saying "that was encouraging," and adding "it was a real good start for us."
Cassan said he particularly liked how the Terriers dominated the third period Saturday at home. He said in Weyburn the team sort of lapsed and let the Wings back into it, but on home ice they kept generating chances and limited what was available to Weyburn.
"We talked about that (the third period in Weyburn) after the second," he said, adding the Terriers went hard in the third.
"That's the best way to protect the lead," he said.
As for being named Captain, Gervais, 19, in his fourth season with the team said, "it's an honour to get it." He was then quick to add there were 'three or four other guys' who would have been worthy players to wear the 'C'.
Gervais said the Terriers have good leadership in the dressing room, and on the ice, adding "everybody's got to step up and be a leader," for the team to be successful.
So what does Gervais feel he brings to the team as captain?
"I like to go out and get some goals," he said with a grin, adding that doesn't always happen, so he is willing to do whatever he can to help the team.
"I just want the team to win."
Up next
The Terriers were to host Battlefords Tuesday, but results were not available at press time.
The Melfort Mustangs roll into the Farrell Agencies Arena Friday, while Saturday the Terriers head north to face Nipawin.
