Late heroics was the theme in the SJHL on Tuesday night, with four teams erasing multi-goal leads, including three late third period leads.
Let's start in Yorkton, where I had the pleasure of doing colour with my buddy Dan O'Connor on the Battlefords North Stars broadcast.
The Terriers won 6-5 in overtime, but how the game got to that point was an entertaining see-saw affair.
Nathan Murray opened the scoring with a short-handed goal for Yorkton, only to see the Stars tie it 4:05 later, and it was 1-1 after one. Braedon Johnson originally got credit, and we felt that was the right call in the booth... but during the intermission it was changed to Keith Grondin, which was the tip of that iceberg. (The website still has Johnson scoring as I'm typing)
**EDIT** AFTER TALKING TO THE TERRIER PUBLIC ADDRESS ANNOUNCER (WHO I WORK WITH), THERE WAS SOME MISCOMMUNICATION IN THE GAME OF TELEPHONE BETWEEN THE PENALTY BOX AND THE ANNOUNCER'S BOOTH... GRONDIN DID INFACT SCORE 4 GOALS, WHILE JOHNSON GOT THE FIRST ONE**
Craig Eisenhut made it 2-1 Terriers early in the third, and after seeing the video in Trent Cassan's office, he somehow managed to roof the backhand with one hand on his stick.
This time, it took just 1:05 for the Stars to answer. Grondin again. **EDIT... First of the game**
Brent Struble scored yet another short-handed goal for the Terriers, when he picked up the puck inside his own blue line, and turned on the jets straight up the middle of the rink, splitting the North Stars' D, and finishing with a pretty backhand deke around Kyle Birch.
Grondin, with his hat trick, squared the affair just 1:39 later. **EDIT... second of the game**
The Terriers looked like they might take control, when they scored two quick ones, just :57 apart. The prettiest Terrier goal of the night saw Brant Remenda go cross ice for his D parter Devon McMullen, who faked a slapshot, and slid it back door for Jeremy Boyer, who made no mistake into an open cage. AP call-up Jeremy Johnson buried his 3rd goal in 2 games less than a minute later and it was 5-3 Yorkton after two.
It stayed that way until after the midway point of the third, and then the North Stars' powerplay, which struggled in the first two periods, going 0/4 while giving up two SHG's, finally connected, when Grondin snapped one, what looked to be off the side of Warren Shymko's mask... and in, for his fourth of the night.
The Terriers had a late powerplay and failed to cash, and also missed a couple chances at the empty net, before taking another late penalty with 1:33 left. Kyle Hall sent a cross-ice saucer pass on to the tape of Grondin, who one-timed his FIFTH (EDIT... fourth) of the night with 23 seconds left, making it 5-5. The website also has that goal as an empty-netter, which obviously was not the case!
In overtime, Yorkton's Justin Buzzeo controlled the puck for a good 20 seconds in the offensive zone, before finding a shooting lane from the high slot. He sent a shot through traffic, and Boyer deflected home his 38th of the season, 1:51 into the extra frame, for a 6-5 Terrier victory.
Buzzeo had 2 assists, and still has points in every game in Terrier colours (7g-14a-21p in 10 games). Boyer had 2g-1a, giving him 20 points in 10 games in Yorkton, but was held off the scoresheet in Saturday's win over Notre Dame.
Devin Peters was slated to start the game in goal for Yorkton, but suffered a minor tweak in the warmup, and Shymko was called to duty. Trent Cassan then placed phone calls (at 7:20pm) to both Yorkton Harvest goalies, Kale Thomson and Spencer Bomboir. Bomboir, a 15-year-old, answered his phone first, and pulled on the Terrier jersey for the first time... and was on the bench..... by the start of the second period!! Peters is doubtful for the weekend home-and-home against Melville, but it's not really clear at this point.
(I'll have post game audio with Nathan Murray, and a chat with Jeremy Johnson I had before the morning skate, up in the morning)
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Like I said, the Terrier/Stars game wasn't the only crazy one in the league.
The Humboldt Broncos did the Terriers a big favour, as Boyer and Buzzeo's old teammates trailed the Kindersley Klippers 2-0 after two periods, and late into the third, before three unlikely sources turned the game upside down.
Brett Pisio notched his 2nd of the season with 3:47 remaining. Neil Landry tied it with his 3rd of the year with 2:11 to play, and Patrick Tran scored his first of season with 19 seconds remaining, giving the Broncos a 3-2 win in regulation.
That lifts the Terriers 4 points up on Kindersley, with a game in hand. Yorkton has 7 games left, Kindersley has 6.
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Melville coaches Jamie Fiesel and Neil Lamberty were in Yorkton scouting the North Stars for their Wednesday night matchup, but they were no doubt curious as to what happened in Weyburn, where the Wings hosted the Notre Dame Hounds.
Notre Dame entered play on Tuesday 2 points back of Melville for the final playoff spot in Sherwood, and also scored three third period goals to come from behind and stun Weyburn 4-3 in regulation. Josh Bruha's 3rd of the year was the winner with 37 seconds to play. The Wings led 3-1 after two periods.
The Hounds and Mils are now tied, with Melville holding three games in hand. One of those will be Wednesday night when they host Battleford. Keep in mind the Mils and Hounds still play eachother twice more.
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The other comeback wasn't done as late in the game, but La Ronge erased a 3-0 deficit against Flin Flon, scoring 4 second period goals and went on to win 6-4. Travis Eggum scored his 48th goal, and now has 88 points. Marc-Andre Carre had 2 assists and leads the league with 89 points.
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One game didn't have so much suspense, as Estevan thumped Nipawin 7-2. The Hawks outshot the Bruins 13-2 in the first period and it was 0-0. The Bruins then put up 6 in the second period and cruised to the win.
Estevan's now tied for third with Weyburn, and have 2 in hand.
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