Craig Read:
Emery, a pretty successful road trip overall — three games in three nights, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. You picked up a win in Nipawin, dropped a decision in Flin Flon, and then bounced back with a big win in La Ronge. Four out of a possible six points on the road — you’ve got to be pleased with that.
Emery Olauson:
Yeah, for sure. When you look at the full picture, it was actually a four-game week for us with a Tuesday game as well. On Monday, knowing we had four games ahead of us, to come away with six out of eight points, make up ground, and pass a division opponent was huge. As for the weekend, Nipawin didn’t start the way we wanted. They jumped on us early, but our guys responded and put together a strong comeback win. In Flin Flon, it was a tough night — we didn’t get much to go our way, and that’s a difficult building to play in with the travel and the environment, plus a very good team. I was proud of how the guys bounced back on Sunday, finished the week the right way, and earned themselves a morning off.
Craig Read:
One thing that really stands out coming out of that trip is the play of your top line — Gabrielle Courchesne, William Leonard, and Jye Zawatsky. They just keep producing. What’s impressed you most about those three?
Emery Olauson:
They’re easy to talk about because of the points they’re putting up, but what really stands out is how they generate offense. Over the last stretch, they’ve all been producing at a high level, but a lot of that comes from sustained pressure and keeping opponents on their heels. They’re electrifying offensive players who can take advantage of tired defenders, but they also play within our system. They’re learning each other’s tendencies, making good decisions, and all three can score or distribute the puck. Having three guys near the top of the league in scoring is fun to coach and fun to watch. We’ve got 14 of our next 21 games at home, and those three are a big reason for fans to come out and pack the Westland.
Craig Read:
That home stretch starts with a pair of games against the Kindersley Klippers. You’re three points back of the division lead, and Kindersley is battling for a playoff spot, so these are big games. What do you expect from them?
Emery Olauson:
They’re an energetic, physical, veteran team with a full group of 20-year-olds. They’re as good as anyone in this league when they’re healthy. They play with a lot of grit and are built for road games. Two games in the same weekend always bring added physicality, and they’ve been very good in overtime this season, finding ways to get points. With us chasing the division lead and them pushing for playoff positioning, it’s going to be a big test. We’ll need to be at our best.
Craig Read:
Anything else you’d like to add?
Emery Olauson:
It’s a big weekend for our organization. It’s parent billet weekend, and Friday is also the SaskTel Game of the Month. We’re really hoping for a packed house. We like the way we’re playing, we’re proud of our product, and we want to show everyone watching what kind of hockey town Yorkton is.
