The Yorkton Terriers have climbed out of the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League basement just in time for the league’s annual Christmas break.
The Terriers, who went five-and-five over their last 10-games, now sport a record of 12-17-1-2 for 27-points, one better than Estevan in The Viterra Division, where Weyburn has 32 and Melville 35.
The Viterra is however the League’s weak sister and the Mils would sit fourth in either the Kramer, or Sherwood Divisions with their 35-points.
Kindersley leads the Kramer with 54 points, while Melfort tops the Sherwood and SJHL with 57.
Offensively, the Terriers have scored only 81 goals to-date this season. Only Estevan with 75 and Humboldt with 80, have scored fewer.
Melfort has scored a loop-leading 128, helped along by Travis Mayan who has 51-points so far this season, which tops the points race. Owen LaClare of the Klippers is second with 45.
Brandon Sookro, Daylan Gatzke, and Kurt Johnas headed to the break tied for the Terrier scoring lead, each with 18 points. They are among nine players tied with 18-points, good enough to sit 54th in league scoring.
Defensively the Terriers have allowed a league-worst 124-goals.
Melfort is the SJHL’s stingiest team allowing only 79.
Dawson MacAuley has a goals against average of 2.83 in 23-games, 11th in the league, while Matt Kustra through 13-games has a 3.19 GAA, 15th in the league.
Not surprisingly Richard Palmer of the Mustangs leads the league with a 1.96 GAA through 25-games played, followed by Kindersley’s Evan Weninger with a 1.97 having played in 26-games.
The Terriers have 24 games remaining on their schedule, 13 on home ice and 11 on the road. The Terriers are back in action after the break on New Year’s Day in Melville, with the Millionaires back to play at the Farrell Agencies Arena Friday, Jan. 2.
