Terriers Open Round 2 In Estevan

Story Coming In:

It took a thrilling game 7 for the Yorkton Terriers to upset the Melfort Mustangs in round 1. Erik Boers scored his first two goals of the playoffs, while Kael DePape was sharp in goal making 32 saves in the 3-1 victory. The penalty kill was busy in the series, as the Terriers took the most penalties out of anyone in round 1, but still managed to kill off 90% of them, good for 2nd in the playoffs. Kishaun Gervais led the way in goals scored with 5, tying him for first with Estevan’s Mark Rumsey. With one upset in the bag, the Terriers are now looking for a second, as they take on the league’s number one. This year, Yorkton went 2-6 against Estevan, with all but one loss being by a single goal. 

View From Estevan:

After dropping a double overtime decider in game 1, the Bruins made short work of the Notre Dame Hounds, beating them in five games. Olivier Pouliot and Mark Rumsey led the way offensively with 10 and 9 points, respectively, good for first and second in the SJHL. Boston Bilous also leads the league in goals against average (1.59) and save percentage (.931%). But probably the highlight of the round for the Bruins was their penalty kill, which went a perfect 19-for-19. The 2022 Centennial Cup hosts want to prove to everyone why they are deserving to be the national championship hosts by winning the SJHL championship, something Estevan has not done since 1999.      

Step Up:

It was a forgettable first round series for Logan Cyca. The Sherwood Park product only had one assist in seven games, while leading the league with the most minor penalties with 7. Fans should keep in mind that Cyca is coming off of a major injury suffered on December 17th, and he hasn’t played 10 games since returning from it. It’s also the first playoff experience for the 19-year-old since his AAA days and nerves could also be a factor to his recent form. When on his game, Cyca uses his high end speed to his advantage and brings a physical element you don’t expect from a guy his size. He also has a cannon of a shot, and when confident, he can pick out teammates with ease. It will just be a matter of time before Cyca settles in and starts to produce for the Terriers, and when he does, he’ll give Yorkton another offensive threat that makes the team even more dynamic.

Playoff Journey 

Terriers win Best of 7 series over Melfort 4-3

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)

Game #7: 3-1 Yorkton

(Erik Boers – 2 goals, Kael DePape – 32 saves)

 

Yorkton Terriers                                                                              Estevan Bruins

Powerplay: 4/28 – 14.3% (5th SJHL)                                   Powerplay: 5/26 – 19.2% (4th SJHL) 

Penalty Kill: 36/40 – 90% (2nd SJHL)                                 Penalty Kill: 19/19 – 100% (1st SJHL)

 

Stats Leaders For Yorkton:

Goals: Gervais (5)

Assists: Kruska (4)

Points:  Gervais (7)

PIM: Hall (30)

Goalie: DePape 4-3-0, 2.79, 0.919%