The Yorkton Terriers managed a split in two games over the weekend, but remain in the basement of the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League鈥檚 Viterra Division.
The Terriers record sits at 10-15-1-2 for 23 points, two back of Estevan and four behind Weyburn.
Melville leads the Viterra with 34 points, but have played 32 games, four more than the Terriers, and two more than either the Bruins or Red Wings.
Friday the Terriers travelled to Nipawin to face the Hawks.
Chase Thudium would score the lone goal of the opening period to give the host Hawks a 1-0 lead.
Brandan Arnold would make it 2-0 3:54 into the second, but Carson Cayer would get that one back for the Terriers with a powerplay goal 12:07 into the frame.
Carter Coben would then score a powerplay goal for the Hawks only 2:25 into the third to reestablish a two goal Nipawin lead, a lead which would hold the rest of the way.
Dawson MacAuley was in the Terrier net taking the loss after facing 38-shots. Joe O鈥橞rien had the win facing 24.
A night later the Terriers were back on home ice to host Battlefords.
Matthew Saharchuk gave the visiting North Stars the opening lead 11:34 into the contest.
Cayer got that one back at 19:16, starting a storm of plush toys as fans supported the Salvation Army hamper program by taking part in the fourth annual Terrier Teddy Bear Toss.
Nick Fountain gave the Stars their second lead 6:45 into the second, the goal coming with a Battlefords鈥� man-advantage.
Daylan Gatzke responded with a Terrier goal at 12:40.
It was then up to Tyson Enzie to send the hometown fans happy as he scored what would be the winner for the Terriers at 4:21 of the third.
MacAuley faced 35-shots for the win, while Spencer Tremblay faced 25 in the loss for the North Stars.
Enzie, who was named the game鈥檚 first star, said it felt good to score his fourth of the season in an important situation.
鈥淚t felt good to help the team get a win at home,鈥� he said.
Enzie said the Terriers have had their ups and downs this season, so a third period win is a positive to build on. He said the team has to find greater consistency game-to-game moving forward.
鈥淗opefully we can pick it up from here,鈥� he offered.
Terrier coach Casey O鈥橞rien, who is in control of the bench as head coach Trent Cassan is away with Team Canada West (see related story this issue), said he saw some good things in the win.
鈥淚 think we鈥檙e starting to find the consistency,鈥� he said, noting it was a pretty good effort on home ice.
O鈥橞rien said in the win he was 鈥渞olling four lines鈥� and each one was giving him a good effort going to the net.
O鈥橞rien added wins at the Farrell Agencies Arena are important.
鈥淲e鈥檙e trying to take care of our home ice games,鈥� he said.
O鈥橞rien said the Terriers have four tough games ahead before the SJHL Christmas break, all against top-six teams, and only one of those games at home. He said the stretch will be a good measuring stick to see just how the Terriers are progressing as a team.
A good effort through the four may bode well toward the team 鈥渕aking a push in the second half,鈥� he said, adding it would help give the team some confidence going into the break as well.
That all said O鈥橞rien said there remains 鈥渁 lot of work to do,鈥� adding he is 鈥渘ever satisfied unless you win the last game of the season.鈥�
So the Terriers made some moves as the league cut down date of Dec. 10 approached.
Gone are Devin Nemes, Dylan Bowen, Braden Lozinski, and Kai Robinson who have been released to look for other Junior opportunities, said O鈥橞rien.
The Terriers also added 1996 born stay-at-home defenseman Alex Cheveldave from the Alberta Junior Hockey League鈥檚 (AJHL) Drayton Valley Thunder, and 1996 forward Jordan Evans from Okotoks (AJHL).聽 Evans put up 30-points in 33-games at the Midget AAA level last season.
In the case of Evans, O鈥橞rien said the Terriers want to get him time on the ice in a range of circumstances.
鈥淲e want to get his confidence built up before Christmas,鈥� said the coach, which means playing 鈥渋n all situations.鈥�
In Cheveldave, it is also a case of getting the youngster into playing regular minutes to see just where he fits on the blueline, said O鈥橞rien. That said in only two games the new rearguard 鈥渓ooks like he likes to get involved and that is a good first impression.鈥�
Up next
The Terriers are back on the road this week for a pair of games. Friday Yorkton rolls into the Battlefords to face the North Stars and then head to Kindersley for a game Saturday versus the Klippers.
