Though the Estevan Bruins and Notre Dame Hounds are not divisional opponents, there was hatred worthy of a longstanding rivalry when the two teams met at Affinity Place, on Saturday, Januyary 12. Several fights and numerous ejections punctuated perhaps the nastiest game played in Estevan this year.

The Bruins, leading the SJHL in penalty minutes by a wide margin, had no problem keeping up in such a game, and emerged victorious 4-3. Devan Harrison scored the OT winner and chipped in two assits, while Michael McChesney, Tristyn DeRoose, and TJ Irey also scored. Grant Boldt made 18 saves in the win. 

The Hounds replied with goals from Jared Hamm, Tanner Tarbell, and Cody Lehner, while Riley Kohonick was solid for the second straight game, with 28 saves. 

"I thought the execution was relatively good," said Bruins head coach and GM Chris Lewgood. "We made some mistakes that ended up in the back of our net but tonight I thought we had a lot more jam in our game. I thought we deserved a victory tonight whereas last night if we'd found a way to win maybe it could've gone either way. We worked our hardest tonight."

The game got off to a rocky start for the home side as, just 59 seconds in, Hamm capitlized on a turnover, walking into a heavy slapshot from the top of the left circle and blasted it past Boldt. But the Bruins replied on the power play when Will Koop fed the puck out front to a waiting Tristyn DeRoose, who snapped it past Kohonick for his fifth. 

Notre Dame got a power play goal of their own late in the first as a rebound bounced off a shinpad to Tarbell, who bounced his shot off the post and in. The second period was even more eventful, with nastinesss aplenty and big hits dominating the play. Michael McChesney tied the game during four-on-four play, only for the Hounds to recalim the lead just 50 seconds later. 

Then, back at five-on-five, Harrison spotted TJ Irey busting the goal and leaned into a slap-pass that Irey tipped perfectly under the bar for his 12th to tie the score again.

"A guy went down to block in front of me," Harrison said, "and I tried to put it through his feet. I was just trying to get it anywhere near the net. I tried to connect with TJ earlier on that play and it didn't work so I figured I'd try again. He made a beautiful tip."

Neither team scored in the third, but the intensity went through the roof, to the delight of over 1000 fans at Affinity Place. McChesney dropped the gloves for his first ever fight with Marshall Wilton, while Jayden Davis was kicked out after a high hit on Charles Martin, followed by a fight with Curtis Wiebe. 

"I think they understand that we're an emotional team," said Lewgood. "They picked at us for two nights and they knew the guys to pick at. They did a really good job of it and got away with a lot. But it's hard to blame the official because a lot of it was really coy." 

With the two teams down several of their better players, overtime began almost tentatively. But just over a minute into the extra session, Bryce Platt noticed Harrison hustling to the goal and put the puck on his backhand, which Harrison tipped home.

"I saw Platt had the puck and I knew I could beat my guy up the ice," Harrison said. "There's only six guys out there so there's lots of room so I decided to jump."

"I think McChesney's fight kind of fired me up," he added. "I was kind of tired and we were running out of guys but when I saw (Platt) get it I was gone."

GAME NOTES

Harrison's assists on Irey and McChesney's goal were his first two as a Bruin. This was also his first multi-point game with the club.

The Bruins beat the Hounds for the first time this year. Both meetings at Affinity Place have been 4-3 overtime wins. The Hounds goaltender has faced more shots on both occasions. 

TJ Irey's goal and assist put him over the 30 point barrier, making him the fourth Bruin to top that plateau after Turner Ripplinger, Michael McChesney, and Bryce Platt.

McChesney picked up not only his first ever fight in the SJHL but also his first Gordie Howe Hat Trick (goal, assist, and fight).