YORKTON - The Yorkton Maulers have a win in Saskatchewan Male AAA Hockey League.
After three road losses – one in overtime – the team returned to the friendly confines of the Westland Insurance Arena for their home opener Saturday.
The Maulers started with a big first period effort against Prince Albert.
Ryder Woods started things with back-to-back Mauler goals the second on the powerplay, and then Tanner Wiens and Aidan Vallance added goals as Yorkton took a 4-0 after 20-minutes of play.
Laybe McKechnie scored the only goal of the second period to extend the Mauler lead to 5-0.
The Mintos showed some comeback in the third on goals by Connor Howe and Brock Kolibab to make it 5-2, before Vallance added his second of the contest – an empty-netter -- to round off a 6-2 Mauler victory.
Casson Silbernagel was in the net for the win facing 26-shots.
Joshua Henry took the loss for the Mintos facing 27-shots.
“We’ve been waiting for this game since the team was picked in April,” said Mauler coach Jason Gordon after the win.
Gordon said they knew the Mintos have had good starts this season and they needed to get on top of things early.
“We came ready,” he said.
The win was also a positive in terms of growth in the eyes of the rookie coach.
While early the effort Saturday suggests the players “have bought into the new culture here,” said Gordon.
The teams went back at it again Sunday afternoon.
This time things were even through the opening 20 minutes.
Kanyan Unger gave PA the 1-0 lead, but Aidan Vallance responded to tie things for Yorkton.
In the second the Mintos again struck first, with a powerplay goal from Carter Stolte.
Brady Simpson tied things with a man-advantage goal for the Maulers.
A goal by Grady Keith, and a powerplay effort from Theron Watteyne edged Yorkton ahead 4-2 through two periods.
In the third Carter Bergen scored the fourth extra man goal of the game, and unassisted effort to draw the Mintos within one.
Bergen would then score late to knot things 4-4.
In overtime Bergen would complete a natural hat trick to complete a 5-4 comeback win for PA.
Reid Schweitzer took the loss in Yorkton’s net facing 25-shots.
Joshua Henry faced 26-shots in securing the PA win.
The Maulers are back in action Saturday travelling to Saskatoon to face the Blazers.
