MELVILLE SQUARES SERIES WITH YORKTON

The Sherwood Division final is now a best of three.

In what has to be considered their best all-around effort of the playoffs, the Melville Millionaires defeated the Yorkton Terriers 3-0 last night to tie up the best of seven at two wins apiece.

Ian McNulty had two assists and was in a position to score two goals as well.  A lot has been made about his dip in statistics from the regular season.  I suspect McNulty is back.  In fact, I thought he was maybe Melville's best player on Monday too when they won despite getting outplayed.

Christian Magnus scored two and has now lit the lamp four times in the last two games and this is, exactly, the way the Mils are built to play.  McNulty shouldn't have to score goals every night.  In the playoffs, the top liners are always going to be focused on more.  In Melville's case, that means players like Magnus, Sean Aschim, and Nathan Boyer have to produce.  Boyer, to me, has been the Millionaires' top player in the playoffs outside of Alex Wakaluk.  Boyer had two assists last night, while Aschim picked up a goal.

Jeremy Johnson had another good game for the Terriers last night, he just couldn't get on the scoresheet.  Johnson and Patrick Martens are the two most dangerous offensive weapons in the Yorkton arsenal outside of defenseman Brady Norrish.  I think Yorkton is at its best when Brady and Chase Norrish, along with Devon McMullen are taking risks and rushing the puck.  McMullen had a great goal on Monday jumping into the play.  The Terriers need more of that.

Playoff hockey is really something.  Yesterday you would have had a hard time convincing me that Melville could turn the series around and be in the driver's seat within 24 hours; but that's exactly where my opinion is starting to go.  I figured with the way the two teams were playing, the series was going to be over tomorrow night.  Now, the onus is on Yorkton to answer back; and I think they can.  After all, they have only had one regulation loss at home all year prior to Monday; so it would be quite a stretch to think the Mils could dominate tomorrow like they did last night.  Nevertheless, to win the series, they have to win in Yorkton, at least, one more time.

Time to take the pressure off the Mils and put it on the Terriers.  Their turn to answer.