The Estevan Bruins and Melville Millionaires traded chances, hits, and goals all night long in an all-out war on opening night, Friday, September 14. At the end of the shooter’s delight of a game, the Bruins squeaked out a win by the skin of their teeth. 

The Estevan Bruins and Melville Millionaires traded chances, hits, and goals all night long in an all-out war on opening night, Friday, September 14. At the end of the shooter’s delight of a game, the Bruins squeaked out a win by the skin of their teeth. 


Michael McChesney scored in regulation and potted the only marker of the shootout to lift the Bruins to a 5-4 win in the penalty shot contest in front of a disappointed but highly entertained crowd at Horizon Credit Union Centre. TJ Irey, George Cathers, and Jake Heerspink also scored and Jake Anthony made 25 saves in the win.

GAME HIGHLIGHTS:  


Jaxon Tait, Ryan Heino, Daniel Liberty, and Montana Streit replied for Melville, who looked little like the team the Bruins went 5-1 against last year. The Millionaires promised this year they were a faster team and were bent on showing it early. 


Nonetheless, in the opening minutes of the game, the Bruins appeared in full control. They put up the first five shots, controlled the play, and broke the ice on the score clock as Irey chopped home a rebound from Heerspink’s one timer on the power play just 1:48 into the game.   Melville answered back on just their second shot, also a rebound which left rookie Jaxon Tait with most of the net to shoot at. The Melville native deposited the puck past Anthony for his first as a Millionaire.

 
On a night of firsts, Cathers got his first goal when Isaiah Thomas leapt around a check, dodged his way into the zone and slid a shot pass over to him. Cathers tipped his blade just right to angle the puck past Colby Entz and put the Bruins back up by one. 
Melville squared the score on their own power play with just over a minute to play in the first, as Ryan Heino, playing his first game in Melville, taped in a backdoor feed from his brother Dayton. 


In a penalty-filled second, the teams traded power play goals. Liberty took a seeing eye shot from the left point that fooled Anthony and gave the Millionaires their first and only lead of the night. McChesney replied for Estevan just as a 5-on-3 became a 5-on-4, sneaking a quick wrister past Entz. 


In the third, Estevan reclaimed the lead on another power play, with Heerspink taking a feed from Johnny Witzke, dangling through the feet of a defender and firing a shot past Entz. The lead evaporated as Streit struck with a crafty shot on a 3-on-2. 


Tense action and shenanigans followed. Matthew Chekay was knocked out of the game on a hit from behind by Damien Bentz, for which Bentz was ejected. A melee ensued after Eric Soar caught McChesney with a hard open ice hit. None of the ensuing power plays produced a goal, however, and Estevan earned the win in the shootout. 


The tight, fast paced affair will have an immediate sequel as Estevan and Melville will play once again Saturday night, just one day later at Affinity Place. Game time is 7:30.


GAME NOTES: 
The two teams finished a combined 5-for-14 on the man advantage. Estevan scored three of four goals at 5-on-4. 


Both Jake Heerspink and TJ Irey had their first ever three point games in the SJHL. Heerspink’s last goal came in La Ronge on November 22 of 2017. TJ Irey’s first SJHL goal came in Melville on September 16 of 2017. 


Three Bruins defensemen registered assists in the game, with Johnny Witzke and Austin King-Cunningham adding helpers onto Jake Heerspink’s two. 


Damien Bentz was ejected for checking from behind. Because the hit on Matthew Chekay came in the final five minutes, it carries an automatic two-game suspension. Chekay was able to skate off on his own, and the Bruins staff believe he is all right, though he may not play in Saturday's game.