The Yorkton Terriers return home tonight as they welcome the Melfort Mustangs to Westland Insurance Arena for the third meeting of the season.
The clubs have split the first two matchups. Melfort edged Yorkton 5–4 in the opener on home ice, before the Terriers responded the following night with an impressive 2–0 victory at Westland Insurance Arena. Goaltender Callum Creig stopped all 23 shots he faced in that contest to earn his first shutout of the season.
With the SJHL trade deadline just days away, the Terriers were active in recent days, adding a pair of defencemen to strengthen their blue line.
Yorkton acquired 6-foot-2 left-shot defenceman Gavin Bartha from the Swan Valley Stampeders. Bartha brings size and offensive upside, having recorded six goals and 20 points this season. He is set to make his Terriers debut tonight wearing #23.
The Terriers also welcomed back a familiar face in Tyler Palin, who will don his old #36. Palin was a key contributor last season, scoring nine goals and 27 points for the Orange and Black. He spent the first half of this season with the Elmira Aviators of the North American Hockey League.
Yorkton enters the night in sixth place in the SJHL standings, having won seven of its last ten games, despite coming off a road setback in Warman.
For the two-time defending champion Mustangs, this season has been uncharted territory. Melfort sits 10th in the standings, outside the playoff picture, with an 11-16-3 record.
Puck drop is set for 7:00 PM.
