The Yorkton Terriers couldn’t have scripted a better start to Game 7, striking twice in the opening seven minutes to seize early control.
It was Yorkton’s own Vinay Junek who set the tone, lowering his shoulder and driving hard to the net before slipping home his fifth of the playoffs past Kaeden Serpa, igniting a jam-packed Westland Arena crowd.
Moments later, the Terriers struck again—this time off the rush. Jye Zawatsky and William Léonard broke in on a 2-on-1, and Léonard made no mistake, undressing Serpa to give Yorkton a 2-0 lead. For the Drummondville, QC product, it was his third of the postseason.
At the other end, Callum Creig was sharp when called upon, turning aside all six shots he faced in the opening frame, including a couple of key stops to preserve the Terriers’ early advantage.
In the middle period, the Terriers extended their lead to three. Gavin Bartha jumped into the play and buried his seventh of the playoffs, putting Yorkton firmly in control.
But the North Stars refused to go quietly.
Battlefords stormed back with three unanswered goals to stun the Westland Arena crowd. Alex Coventry struck twice, while Carter Geysen added another, tying the game at 3-3 in a dramatic swing of momentum.
Despite the pushback, Yorkton held a 10-5 edge in shots during the second period, and through 40 minutes, the game remained remarkably penalty-free.
The third period was a tense, back-and-forth battle until the Terriers found their moment.
With just under four minutes remaining, Gavin Bartha stepped into a point shot that found its way through traffic and past Serpa, restoring Yorkton’s lead at 4-3. The goal was his second of the night and eighth of the playoffs—none bigger.
From there, the Terriers shut the door.
Jake Briltz and Vinay Junek added empty-net goals to seal it, as the Yorkton Terriers punched their ticket to the Canterra Seeds Cup Final for the first time since 2014.
Yorkton will now face the Flin Flon Bombers in the SJHL Final, with Game 1 set for Friday night in Flin Flon.
