The Yorkton Harvest Midget AAA hockey team completed their exhibition schedule with a 5-3 loss to the Regina Pat Canadians Sunday afternoon at the Farrell Agencies Arena.
The Harvest have now completed their exhibition games for the year and won't start the regular season until next month.
Yorkton played a Saturday game in Tisdale before returning home for Sunday's finale.
Graham Garrett, who is beginning his third season behind the bench as head coach of the Harvest, said the preseason games are always hard because the most experienced players are usually off at other team's camps looking for a spot on a Junior 'A', 'B' or Major Junior camp.
He added that there have been some guys who've been pleasant surprises through this year's exhibition season.
"We're very happy with some guys," Garrett said. "(But) some are still in Junior."
Throughout the four games they've played (two with Regina and two with Tisdale), he said they only had one veteran player in the lineup for those games.
Some have been absent due to injuries and illnesses and that doesn't make Garrett's job any easier, he insisted. Among those players who played here last season that were absent from the exhibition were Tayler Thompson, Levi Cable, and Devon McMullen.
"There's been some surprises," Garret said of some of the players who may be able to take a veteran's roster spot. "Some guys have developed well."
Garrett added that there is between 4-6 veterans missing from the roster. Against Regina on Sunday, it was a rookie that opened the scoring. Tanner LeSann at the 1:40 mark, assisted by Devan Fafard.
Regina answered that in the middle frame when Corey Kosloski scored at 8:41 of the period and then teammate Tyson Predinchuk gave the visitors the go-ahead goal with 26 seconds left in the period on the power play. Dylan Ostertag put the Pat Canadians up 3-1 four minutes into the third frame, but Yorkton wasn't done yet. Goals by Tayler Webb and Rodney Sewap brought the teams back to even terms by the 8:45 mark. Kade Halabuza, Dustin Skilliter, Gage Rapitta and LeSann drew assists on the third period goals.
But Regina's Brandon Halbgewachs restored the Pat Canadians' lead with 2:33 remaining in regulation time and teammate Garret Lockeridge sealed the win with an empty net goal with 50 seconds left.
NEXT ACTIONThe AAA Harvest open the 2010-11 season on the road when they play back-to-back games. On Sept. 25, they're in Beardy's to tackle the Blackhawks. On Sunday, they're in Saskatoon to play the Blazers.They open up at home on the weekend of Oct. 2-3 to host the Battlefords Stars. Game times are 7:30 p.m., on Saturday and 2:30 p.m., Sunday.
