The Yorkton Canadian Western Bank Terriers finished their AA Pee Wee season in the South Sask Minor Hockey League with a record of 22-1-2 for 46 points.
After a first round playoff bye Yorkton faced Melville in a best-of-three, winning two straight by scores of 5-3 and 9-5.
The series win over Melville advanced Yorkton to the league final against Weyburn in another best-of-three.
The Terriers again swept the series 4-2 and then 4-3 in overtime for the league championship.
But the Terriers would not make it past the south final in provincial play against the Prairie Storm out of Balgonie.
“We lost in overtime in the third and deciding game,” said Yorkton coach Jeff Sperling.
Sperling said it was disappointing to lose to the Storm because the team felt either team had a legitimate shot to win the provincial crown over the northern representative from Tisdale.
“What happened was a bounce,” he said of the series loss, adding the Storm got it when it mattered most.
Ryan Hoffman, also a coach for the team said the Storm “were a very good team,” agreeing the team was one small break away from advancing to the provincial final.
Still overall the season was hugely successful.
“We only lost six games all season,” said Sperling, adding the team added a couple of tournament crowns along the way, topping their own event and one in Kindersley.
“We had a very well-balanced team,” he said, noting all three lines, five defenceman and two netminders contributed.
“Look at our depth, we were probably deeper than most teams we played this year.”
“We had a pretty good team,” agreed Hoffman, adding the key to the success was team speed.
“We really skated well, we were a really quick team, we could really fly,” he said.
That speed extended throughout the line-up, which was often the difference.
“Teams have one or two lines that can really go, but not too often you find three lines that can really skate,” said Hoffman.
