Terriers And Mustangs Collide For Game Two
Photo Credit: Simple Shots By Jackie Story Coming In:
Nerves may have been a factor, as the Yorkton Terriers dropped game one of their quarter-final series to the Melfort Mustangs. Tanner Sklaruk got the lone goal in a 4-1 loss, as the Terriers now look to even the series, and swing the momentum into their favor. In a game with few positives, one was the Terriers penalty kill unit, which held the league’s best power-play to no goals on seven attempts. Shots on goal will be key for Yorkton, as they only mustered 28 shots on Joel Favreau, being outshot for only the 15th time this season. DePape will look to have a solid game, while the offense will try to reignite itself after being held to less than four goals for the first time in nine games. Now that the Terriers young bunch knows what playoff hockey is all about, they should come out firing for game two at the Palace.
View From Melfort:
The hot play by the Melfort Mustangs continued, however, it was the role players that got the job done. While Nolan Doell, Ben Tkachuk, and Curtis Hammond were silenced, it was the third and fourth line players of Clarke Huxley, Zac Somers and Noah Wilson that were producing for the Mustangs. As the Mustangs have done all year, they limited their opponents chances, holding the Terriers to just 28 shots on goal. Despite looking shaky at times, Favreau did enough to keep his team in front, and his opposition off the scoresheet. Melfort is a team that either plays hot or cold, and they look to continue their excellence play on home ice.
The Grizzled Vet:
He may have zero playoff experience in the SJHL, but Tanner Sklaruk did not look out of place. Scoring a goal in his postseason debut, the Stony Plain, Alberta almost willed his team back into game one of the series. On a young team, the Terriers will lean on the 20-year-old to lead the way, in what has been a breakout year for Sklaruk. Showing massive improvements on both sides of the ice, Sklaruk will be key to the Terriers’ success in the postseason. He’s already been rewarded for his efforts with a commitment to the Red Deer Polytechnic Kings for the 2022-23 season, but first, the guy they call Screwy, wants to lead his team to an SJHL championship in his final year of junior hockey.
Tale of the Tape
Mustangs lead the Best of 7 Series 1-0
Game #1: 4-1 Melfort
(Clarke Huxley 2 goals, Joel Favreau 27 saves)
Yorkton Terriers Melfort Mustangs
Powerplay: 0/4 – 0% Powerplay: 0/7 – 0
Penalty Kill: 7/7 – 100% Penalty Kill: 4/4 – 100%
Stats Leaders For Yorkton:
Goals: Sklaruk (1)
Assists: Nollski & Vranai (1)
Points: Nollski, Sklaruk & Vranai (1)
PIM: Cyca (6)
Goalie: DePape 0-1-0, 4.00, 0.871%