In what was surely one of the more entertaining games in the SJHL this season, the Estevan Bruins went toe-to-toe with the top team in the league, the Melfort Mustangs, only to lose 4-3 on Wednesday, November 8.

Jerzy Martin scored his first SJHL goal, and Zach Goberis and Kaelan Holt also tallied, but it wasn’t enough to upend the top-seeded Mustangs, who squeaked out a 4-3 win.

The Bruins penalty kill wasn’t working like usual for them on this night, as they surrendered three goals on three attempts. After the first two, the Bruins bounced back with Martin’s first goal, when he took a drop-pass from Hayden Guilderson and wired a shot from distance to get the Bruins on the board.

Not long after, however, the Mustangs struck again on the man advantage on a seeing-eye shot through traffic that eluded Matt Lukacs. The Bruins trailed by two for the second of what would be three times in the game before Guilderson went to work again, this time spinning the puck out to Holt in the slot who redirected it in to once again bring Estevan back within one.

Melfort struck at even strength in the third period for the first time, and that marker would stand up as the winner. Zach Goberis scored with 9.9 seconds left in the third, but by then the Bruins had used up too much time, and the Mustangs held on for the victory.

The loss drops the Bruins to 12-6-1 on the season and moves Melfort four points up on them. Estevan will see Melfort again on their next road trip later this month.

GAME NOTES:

Zach Goberis’s goal was his 20th of the season, making him the first player in the SJHL to reach the plateau this year.

Melfort’s power play moved above the 35 per cent mark by going three-for-three. They lead the SJHL in that department.

Jake Tesarowski played his first game in an Estevan Bruins uniform and played physically, registering several hits, but did not put up any points.