The Yorkton Terriers made their first chance count on Saturday night.
Brett Boehm fired four goals and an assist as the Terriers downed the host Dauphin Kings 5-4 in the championship final to secure one of two berths to the RBC Cup in front of a sold out crowd at Credit Union Place.
“That’s the biggest game I’ve ever been in,” Boehm told CKLQ’s Tyler Crayston. “We had that many fans in playoffs, but never in an elimination game, or one shot kind of thing. I definitely thought I had a pretty good game tonight.”
The Terriers taking home the top prize did not come without challenges and obstacles.
Over the course of the Western Canada Cup, Yorkton lost some key pieces to their roster including Russell product Derek Falloon, and the SJHL champions needed to win their final round-robin game to advance to the playoffs.
“We lost three veteran players in this tournament to injury. Guys that are three and four years guys too,” said Terriers’ coach and Medora product Trent Cassan. “Some of our younger guys stepped in and played very well. Our top players were our top players at this tournament, I think that’s the big thing.”
Yorkton will head to the National Junior ‘A’ Hockey Championship in Vernon, B.C. from May 10th to 18th and the road to the RBC Cup was helped paved through local roots.
“Growing up in the Southwest area, there are some many great coaches and mentors that care about developing younger hockey players, but younger people as well too," said Cassan. "Teachers and coaches, there are so many of them that come to mind right now and some of them were in the building tonight, so it’s very gratifying to win in front of them."
Souris’ Tanner Butler scored once while Brandonite Brayden Cuthbert had a goal and an assist for the Kings, who get one last shot on Sunday to join the Terriers at the RBC Cup.
Dauphin is going up against the Spruce Grove Saints at 4 p.m. for the second and final berth to nationals.
Spruce Grove got past the Coquitlam Express 5-3 in Saturday’s three-versus-four playoff game.
Cameron Hughes scored once and added an assist for the Saints.
