The Estevan Bruins went back-to-back to end their first northern road swing of the year on November 11 and 12, and took three of a possible four points from the La Ronge Ice Wolves and Nipawin Hawks.

In both games, regulation wasn’t enough as Estevan won a shootout against La Ronge and fell in overtime to Nipawin. The game against the Hawks marked the third straight game, and fifth of their last six in which Estevan went to overtime.

The Ice Wolves came out hard against Estevan in their home barn, taking leads of 1-0 and 2-1, but neither lead lasted as Estevan showed their resilience. The big guns were clicking in that game as Zach Goberis, Michael McChesney and Kaelan Holt all scored, with Holt tallying twice.

Only Zach Goberis scored in the shootout, using a similar move to the one he’d scored on in-game by opening up the five-hole and slipping it past La Ronge goalie Marek Pipes. The loan goal was enough to give Estevan the win as Max Sidelnik stopped all three shooters he faced.

The next game in Nipawin was a faster game as befitted two of the SJHL’s best. Nipawin got up 2-0 early on goals by Carter Doerksen and Brandon Arnold, but before the first period was over Estevan held a 3-2 lead thanks to Holt, Goberis, and Arthur Miller. Miller also assisted on Goberis’s goal.

The two teams played a scoreless second period, though it easily could’ve had goals as Holt rang one off the post at one end, and the Hawks had a shorthanded 2-on-0 at the other when both Bruins defensemen simultaneously lost an edge in one of the oddest plays of the year. Bruins goalie Matt Lukacs made three saves on that rush to keep the Bruins on top.

Estevan went down 4-3 late in the third, but the deficit lasted mere seconds as Hayden Guilderson took the puck in front of the net and found himself all alone, making a couple of nifty moves before flipping a backhand past Declan Hobbs.

The rest of regulation solved nothing, but overtime lasted just 34 seconds before the Hawks got a 2-on-1 and Kenzie Arnold ripped one past Lukacs for the win.

The Bruins finished 2-1-1 on the road trip to move to 14-6-2 on the season. They currently sit atop the Viterra division with 30 points after 22 games played.

GAME NOTES

Kaelan Holt scored in back-to-back games to get to 11 on the year, but missed his shot in the shootout against La Ronge. He was ruled eligible to shoot, despite having taken a penalty near the end of overtime. Because he had a minor and not a misconduct he was still allowed to take the shot.

Zach Goberis’s two goals brought him to 22 goals in 22 games on the year. He continues to lead the SJHL in that category by seven. The next closest man is Chaz Smedsrud of Notre Dame with 15.

Estevan sits first in the Viterra division and tied for second in the SJHL with 30 points. They host the team they’re tied with, Humboldt, on Saturday, November 18.

Estevan will play in Nipawin for the last time this year on Tuesday, November 21. They will play the La Ronge Ice Wolves in La Ronge the next day.