There may not be any such thing as a perfect hockey game, but the Estevan Bruins came as close as possible on Friday, February 1 against the Weyburn Red Wings.

Michael McChesney scored twice and Kadin Kilpatrick posted 16 saves in his first SJHL shutout as the Bruins bruised, bullied, and generally outclassed the Red Wings 7-0. Jayden Davis, Turner Ripplinger, Bryce Platt, Will Koop, and Tristyn DeRoose also scored, while Johnny Witzke picked up three assists.

HIGHLIGHTS:

The early shot count heavily favored the Bruins, but it took until 8:29 in for McChesney to begin the goal scoring. The Bruins veteran forward undressed a Red Wing defender, then sniped home his team-leading 23rdon Cody Levesque. 

The Bruins went to the penalty kill just under five minutes later, but it was the Red Wings who surrendered the only shot and only goal. Ripplinger held the puck in the Red Wings zone, doggedly denying them the breakout before stripping his man of the puck and feeding Davis in the slot. Davis’s turnaround shot found the net to give the Bruins the 2-0 lead.

The Red Wings never seemed to recover. Early in the second, Koop tipped home Devan Harrison’s point shot on the power play to make it 3-0 and chase Levesque. Then, off the rush, Ripplinger rifled home his 22nd, sending his blistering shot off the post and in.

The Bruins were far from done. Late in their second penalty kill of the game, the Bruins scored shorthanded again. This time it was Platt, left all alone in front after a perfect pass by Koop. The 20-year-old Regina native showed off some slick hands, finishing a forehand move on Ben Laidlaw and tucking home his 15th

Still the Bruins were not finished. Early in the third, McChesney corralled a bouncing puck off a goalmouth scramble and tapped it past a sprawled-out Laidlaw. Then, on their second power play of the night, DeRoose took the rebound of Witzke’s shot off the boards and snuck it home. 

The win puts the Bruins 5-1 in the season series against Weyburn, and gives them a season-high six-game winning streak. They meet the Red Wings for the rematch on Saturday night at Affinity Place with the game starting at 7:30.

GAME NOTES

All six of the Bruins top-six forwards recorded at least a point. Michael McChesney and Will Koop had three points apiece, as did Johnny Witzke. 

Kadin Kilpatrick was credited with an assist on McChesney’s opening goal for his first SJHL point. He now sits 5-2 on the year with a GAA of 3.00 and a .876 save percentage. 

McChesney’s two goals and assist give him a stat line of six goals and ten points in six games against Weyburn this year. Since being moved to the wing with Will Koop’s return to the lineup, he has nine points in eight games.

Turner Ripplinger became the second Bruins forward this year to get a Gordie Howe hat trick after his fight in the second period with Carson Scheschuk followed a goal and an assist. The first was Michael McChesney in a January 12 game against Notre Dame.

The Bruins scored two shorthanded goals and killed both penalties while scoring on both power plays. They had four special teams situations and scored in all four while allowing no goals for a perfect special teams game.