The Yorkton Terriers saw their third opportunity to clinch the Bunge Division title slip away Sunday, falling 4–3 on the road to the Melfort Mustangs.
Melfort opened the scoring when Lincoln Rogers netted his second of the season at 8:13 of the first period. Yorkton responded midway through the frame as Gabriel Courchesne broke in alone and slipped his 31st of the season five-hole past Madden Mulawka to even the game.
The Mustangs regained the lead late in the period when Danton Cox beat Alexandro Montoya, sending the home side to the intermission up 2–1 despite Yorkton holding a slight 9–8 edge in shots.
Special Teams Play Key Role
Early in the second period, the Terriers ran into penalty trouble and the Mustangs took advantage. With Yorkton down two men, Cox struck on the power play, and just 16 seconds later Tristan Ziola made it 4–1 for Melfort.
The second goal ended the afternoon for Montoya, who allowed four goals on 13 shots. Callum Creig came on in relief and stopped all seven shots he faced.
Yorkton’s power play responded late in the second when Tyler Palin blasted a shot from the point past Mulawka to pull the Terriers within two.
Courchesne Moves Ahead in Scoring Race
The Terriers kept pushing in the third and cut the lead to one on the power play when Courchesne tapped home his second of the night off a feed from Palin with just over two minutes remaining.
The two-point night moves Courchesne two points ahead of Ewan Rennie of the Estevan Bruins in the race for the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League scoring title entering the final week of the regular season.
Despite outshooting Melfort 40–20, Yorkton couldn’t find the equalizer as Mulawka made 37 saves to secure the win.
The Terriers wrap up the regular season with a home-and-home series against the Melville Millionaires beginning Friday night in Melville, while the Mustangs return to action Wednesday hosting the Bruins.
Elsewhere on Sunday,
Gage Roberts turned aside all 24 shots for his fifth shutout of the season as the Nipawin Hawks rolled to a 5–0 win over the visiting Warman Wolverines at the Cage.
Braeden Jockims extended his goal-scoring streak to 10 games, while Carter Cole, Will Whitter, Jack Janzen and Mason Karakochuk also found the back of the net for the Hawks.
The win moves Nipawin within two points of both the Yorkton Terriers and the Battlefords North Stars for second place in the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League standings.
The Hawks travel to face the Flin Flon Bombers on Tuesday, while the Wolverines host the Humboldt Broncos Friday night.
