YORKTON - The Weyburn Red Wings might have arrived in Yorkton Saturday hoping for an early SJHL Christmas present, but the Yorkton Terriers sent them home with a chunk of coal.
The Wings actually started things at the Westland Insurance Arena when Jaxson Ruthven scored a powerplay goal at 7:11 in the first period.
But a man-advantage marker by Terrier Jeff Hammond tied things at 13:30, and the 1-1 score held into the middle stanza.
David Coyle edged the Terriers ahead with a powerplay goal 36 seconds into the second period, and Thierry Laliberte made it 3-1 at 2:25.
But the Wings weren’t done. In an attempt to be Scrooge to the hometown Terrier fans the Red Wings closed the gap with an Ethan Dekay goal at 17:39 making it a 3-2 score through fourty-minutes of play.
Liam Fitzgerald knotted things 3-3 1:47 into the third period.
But then the Terriers dug into their equipment bag and found the coal thanks to three unanswered goals to wrap up a 6-3 win.
Laliberte had the eventual game-winner, his second of the contest, at 10:12.
Fourty seconds later David Coyle made it 5-3.
Jaron Desnoyers rounded out the scoring at 16:53 in the 6-3 win.
Callum Creig was in the Terrier net for the win, facing 30-shots.
Mitchell Dazza took the loss facing 34-shots.
The win came a day after a scheduled home game against Notre Dame was postponed as the Hounds could not travel due to weather issues in thev Regina area Friday.
The win moves Yorkton back atop the SJHL Viterra Division thanks to an 18-9-1-0 record and 37 points, one better than Weyburn with 36. Melville sits third with 33 points, and Estevan fourth with 26.
The Terriers are now off for some turkey and good cheer, returning to action, Monday, Dec. 30, when Melville will visit the Westland Insurance Arena in Yorkton. The two teams will meet again New Year’s Day in Melville.
