The Estevan Bruins and La Ronge Ice Wolves were streaking in two different directions entering play on Saturday, October 13. By the end of the night, both teams streaks had ended.

Estevan got goals from six different players, with Johnny Witzke scoring twice, while Jake Anthony made 17 saves on 18 shots as the Bruins won for the first time since their win over Kindersley on September 27, defeating La Ronge 7-1. 

"For the most part, we carried the play from pillar to post," said Bruins head coach and GM Chris Lewgood. "I thought it was a good effort all around, a solid 60 minutes."

Witzke opened the scoring for Estevan on their first power play of the game. The Ice Wolves covered all of the third-year defenseman's pass options, and goaltender Jordan Frey cheated, so Witzke went upstairs for his fourth of the year.

The Ice Wolves tied it up on the power play on just their second shot of the game when Kolby Johnson snuck a backhander past Anthony, but the tie game lasted only until the next Bruins power play, when Tristyn DeRoose scored an interesting goal for his first as a Bruin.

"I didn't do too much," DeRoose joked of his goal. "I was just doing my job, standing there and being a big screen. The boys were working it around up top and Cathers took a shot that actually went off my visor and deflected down. Kind of lucky, it was a greasy one."

After that greasy one the Bruins pulled away. Eddie Gallagher willed his way to a 2-on-1 with Tanner Manz, feeding him for the one-timer finish. Then, Witzke got another power play goal, banking a shot in from near the goal line to end the night for Frey.

Marek Pipes came in to relieve Frey at the start of the second but he was instantly bombarded by the Bruins. Just 43 seconds into the middle frame, Bryce Platt fed the puck to the back door for Turner Ripplinger, who tapped it home. Then, off a goal mouth scramble, Gallagher swooped in and picked up a rebound for his first in the SJHL.

"I was working hard in front of the net and got a nice rebound," Gallagher summed up succinctly. He described it as the kind of goal he would usually score.

"I think Eddie's been great," said Lewgood. "He's a guy we were really excited about coming into the year. Unfortunately he had that injury with the knee in game one. He's brought exactly what we thought he would, but maybe a little quicker."

Rough play and after-whistle unpleasantness marred the rest of the game. No more goals found the net until George Cathers tipped home Jake Heerspink's point shot to extend the lead to 7-1.

Estevan has a quick turnaround as they face Flin Flon on Sunday at 6:00 at Affinity Place.

GAME NOTES

Cather's goal was his first since opening weekend. He also added an assist on DeRoose's goal. DeRoose finished with four points.

The line of Tanner Manz Tristyn DeRoose and Eddie Gallagher finished with three goals and eight points in their first game together. Manz's assist was his first of the year.

Johnny Witzke has a pair of two goal games on the year after not having any prior to this season. He sits second in scoring among all defensemen with 13 points in 11 games, and leads all defensemen in goals with five. 

Bryce Platt, Aigne McGeady-Bruce, and Jake Heerspink all finished with two assists on the night. Platt now has three points in two games in a Bruins sweater. 

Estevan finished 3-5 on the power play, the second time this season they've scored three power play goals. The first time was their victory over Melville on opening night.