Between jersey auctions, player injuries, and an endless two-way parade to the penalty box, the Estevan Bruins and Weyburn Red Wings played one of the longest games of the SJHL season so far on Friday, January 18. From the drop of the puck to the eventual end, however, the Bruins were the better team.

Kadin Kilpatrick stopped 20 of 22 shots, and five different Bruins scored as they fought their way to a 5-2 victory over the Red Wings. Eric Soar scored twice for Weyburn, while Ben Laidlaw made 33 saves.

The Bruins established dominance early and often, opening the scoring just 41 seconds in. Turner Ripplinger won a battle behind the net and fed the puck out front to TJ Irey, who snapped it low-blocker to give the Bruins a lead they never relinquished. 

Six minutes later, Ripplinger got a goal of his own on the power play, taking a pass at the side of the net from Bryce Platt and lifting home his 20th. Then, at 4-on-3, Irey showed off his passing chops, threading the needle to Will Koop who, much like Ripplinger, made good on a wide open net for his fourth. 

With just 2.7 seconds remaining in the first, Weyburn gave themselves some hope on a power play of their own. Soar one-timed home a shot from the very edge of the offensive zone that snaked its way through traffic for his 5thof the year. But early in the second, the Bruins seemed to snuff that hope out as Platt took another perfect pass from Irey and deposited it past Laidlaw just 22 seconds in. 

Just over a minute later, however, the Wings got back within two, and once again it was Soar who did the deed. This time, Soar had room to walk into his shot as the seas parted for him, and he ripped one upstairs on Kilpatrick to cut the deficit to two. 

Special teams dominated the second period as the two teams traded power plays. At one point the Red Wings had two full minutes of 5-on-3, followed immediately by another two of 5-on-4, but the Bruins killed it all while allowing just three shots against. 

Weyburn had another golden opportunity to claw their way back into the game in the third when Tristyn DeRoose took a major penalty for cross checking Garrett Szeremley. But the opportunity turned sour as Michael McChesney picked off a pass just outside the Weyburn blue line, cruised in all alone and opened up the five-hole on Laidlaw with a beautiful dangle to give the Bruins all the breathing room they’d need. 

With the win, Estevan moves back to .500 on the year and moves within two points of Yorkton for top spot in the Viterra Division. The Bruins and Red Wings meet again tomorrow evening at Affinity Place. Puck drop is 7:30.

GAME NOTES

Five different Estevan Bruins scored, including their four leading goal scorers and their five leading points-per-game players. They scored shorthanded, on the power play, and on the penalty kill.

With a goal each, Turner Ripplinger and Michael McChesney became the first Bruins this season to get to 20 goals. They lead the team in that category. 

With two assists on the night, Devan Harrison now has seven point in nine games as a member of the Bruins. He leads their defense in points per game. 

Eric Soar’s two goals were his fourth and fifth as a member of the Red Wings. He now has 15 points in 15 games with them, compared to just one goal and 10 points in 27 games in Melville. Three of his five goals as a Red Wing have come against Estevan. 

The Bruins penalty kill gave up a goal on the first two Red Wing opportunities but then denied the following nine. It was the busiest night for the Bruins penalty killers this year.