The Yorkton Terriers began the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League season with a home-and-home series against Weyburn, earning a split in the two games.
The Terriers went into the Red Wings rink Friday and took a season-opening win by a 3-2 score.
The next night the Wings repaid the favour edging the Terriers 2-1 in Yorkton's home opener at the Farrell Agencies Arena.
Saturday in Yorkton,Jackson Schneider scored 3:51 into the game to give Weyburn a 1-0 lead, a lead that held until midway through the third when Trent Hermary made it 2-0.
Zak Majkowski scored a Terrier goal 23 seconds after Hermary's goal, but Yorkton could not get the equalizer, and Wing goaltender Mitch Kilgore stopped 36-of-37 shots.
Warren Shymko took the loss in the Yorkton goal facing 20 shots.
Riley Paterson, who was assigned the Terrier Captain's 'C' this season said the goals will come as a team with a lot of turnover gets more comfortable with one another.
"It's a work in progress right now," he said, adding "we got off to with a slow start in the first."
After that Paterson said the Terriers settled down to play better the rest of the way. That he noted is important. "We just want to get better every game."
Terrier head coach Trent Cassan said the goals just didn't come Saturday, adding "their goaltender (Kilgore) was pretty good tonight."
Cassan said the Terriers appeared a bit tight in their home opener too, putting a lot of shots into the Red Wing goaltender's pads, adding it might have been the tension of the first home contest for a lot of players.
Still Cassan said players need to adjust quickly in the SJHL.
"The only way to get experience is by playing going through the ups and downs," he said, reminding "this was the first weekend of Junior for some of these guys."
Being early there is still learning to do by both players and coaches.
"Early in you put some guys in situations and see how they handle it," said Cassan.
Like Paterson, Cassan did comment he "thought in the first period it was pretty scrambly for both teams," adding the Terrier effort was better in the second and third periods.
In Weyburn the Terriers struck first asJamie Vlanich scored the only goal of the opening frame.
Coltyn Sanderson tied the game for the Wings midway through the second, but Ryon Sookro would restore a one-goal Terrier lead late.
Kyle Mcleod made it 3-1 Yorkton early in the third.
A goal late by Weyburn's Jess Ross made it close, but the Terriers would prevail 3-2.
Shymko was in the Terrier net for the win facing 22 shots.
"Going into Weyburn we stole a win from them," said Paterson, adding it was just too bad they let Weyburn take the game Saturday. " But a split is not the worst thing that could have happened."
Cassan said the win Friday was well-earned.
"Anytime you go into Weyburn it's a pretty tough rink to play in," he said, adding on the road goaltending is big. "We got good goaltending. Warren (Shymko) was good for us."
Cassan said the split is a good start, adding right now he just wants to see how new players develop under Terrier systems; "how they learn, how they listen, how they work hard every day."
The Terriers played both games without veteran forward Brent Struble and defenceman Kelly Leismeister, both out with injuries that will keep them out of the line-up for at least another week.
"It gives us a chance to evaluate other guys too," said Cassan, adding the Terriers have 27 players still being evaluated.
Paterson said he looks forward to being the Terriers' Captain.
"It's something I wanted," he said of being awarded the 'C' for the season, adding "any of the guys in the room could wear the 'C'.
"It's a leadership role on the team, working hard and leading by example on the ice, and off the ice as well," he said.
As leader Paterson said he likes what he sees so far from the Terrier team.
"We got a good group show up at camp," he said, adding that has meant a good group in the dressing room to start the season.
Paterson reminded, "it's still early. We're still getting to know each other."
It should help the process having players with some long playoff run experience.
"We've got a few guys who were here for both playoff runs," said Paterson.
Up next
The Terriers have two games this week, both home ice encounters. Tonight, Wednesday, the Terrier host Flin Flon, and Sunday Estevan visits for a 6 p.m. start.
