Do Or Die Game 7 At The Northern Lights Palace
Photo Credit: Simple Shots By Jackie Story Coming In:
It’s a last chance for the Yorkton Terriers to extend their season. Their 3-1 series lead has evaporated after a 5-1 and 5-3 loss to Melfort in games 5 and 6. During game 6 on home ice, the Mustangs jumped to a 4-0 lead before holding off the Terriers. Yorkton got a pair of markers from Kishaun Gervais and a single from JD Hall to make the game interesting. Special teams were better for Yorkton in game 6, as they went 1-for-5 on the power-play and a perfect 4-for-4 on the penalty kill. To upset the Mustangs, Yorkton will need goaltender Kael DePape to be at his very best, while someone will need to grab the game offensively for the Terriers. The first goal will also be key, as the team that scored first has won 5 of the first 6 games of the series.
View From Melfort:
All of the momentum is on the Mustangs side. Rallying to force a game 7, Melfort has seen its offense come to life, combining for 10 goals in the last two games. The big guns are also beginning to show up on the scoresheet, as Ben Tkachuk, Nolan Doell and Seth McCulloch scored their first goals of the series on Sunday. Clarke Huxley and Curtis Hammond continue their contributions on offense, while Joel Favreau has found another level to his game in goal. The Mustangs will look to run out to another excellent start as they have in the last two games, while playing a high possession game, complemented by a suffocating defense. Being on home ice, the Mustangs will also look for every opportunity to get their home crowd involved early and often.
Deja Vu?:
The last time the Yorkton Terriers found themselves in a game 7 situation was during the 2019 playoffs when they took on the #1 seeded Nipawin Hawks. Just like this year, they were up 3-1 in the series before Nipawin roared back with a pair of victories in games 5 and 6. Now the Terriers are hoping they can replicate the 2019 team, and win game 7 on the road. Two players from that 2019 team are still with the Terriers. While Kishaun Gervais and Tyson Janzen were 17-year-old rookies with the 2019 team, the 2022 edition of the Terriers will lean on their playoff experience as they look to pull off the upset. Gervais co-leads the team in points this series with 6, while Janzen provides a steady presence on the backend, while also chipping in with a goal of his own. As with any 20-year-old, both players don’t want to see the end of their junior careers just yet, and both players will be key towards a Yorkton victory.
Tale of the Tape
Best of 7 Series Tied 3-3
Game #1: 4-1 Melfort
(Clarke Huxley – 2 goals, Joel Favreau – 27 saves)
Game #2: 4-3 Yorkton (2OT)
(Kishaun Gervais – overtime winner, Cade Kennedy – first SJHL goal)
Game #3: 2-1 Yorkton (OT)
(Greg Nelson – overtime winner and one assist, Kael DePape – 31 saves)
Game #4: 5-2 Yorkton
(Kody Norberg- 1st career SJHL goal & game winner, Kael DePape – 38 saves)
Game #5: 5-1 Melfort
(Marco Lopez – 1 goal & 2 assists, Dawson Leroux – 2 assists)
Game #6: 5-3 Melfort
(Ben Tkachuk & Nolan Doell – 1 goal & 1 assist, Kishaun Gervais – 2 goals)
Yorkton Terriers Melfort Mustangs
Powerplay: 3/23 – 13.0% Powerplay: 4/36 – 11.1%
Penalty Kill: 32/36 – 88.9% Penalty Kill: 20/23 – 87.0%
Stats Leaders For Yorkton:
Goals: Gervais (4)
Assists: Kruska (4)
Points: Gervais & Kruska (6)
PIM: Hall (28)
Goalie: DePape 3-3-0, 3.06, 0.912%