The Estevan Bruins and Kindersley Klippers met in neutral territory in Warman at the SJHL showcase on Monday, September 24. It was the Bruins first game against a non-divisional opponent and their first loss of the 2018-19 campaign as they fell 4-2.

Turner Ripplinger and Isaiah Thomas scored for Estevan, but it wasn’t enough to overcome Kindersley, who got goals from Kyle Bosch, Damon McKenzie, and Brett Neumeier before Devon Cyr wrapped the game up with an empty netter in the dying seconds.

The Klippers started the scoring just 47 seconds into the game. Bosch did the deed, breaking into the Bruins zone and firing a change-up that Jake Anthony lost track of. It slipped under Anthony’s blocker to put Kindersley ahead.

The goal marked the first time Estevan had trailed off the opening period all year as they’d previously scored first in every game. They took just under 13 minutes to tie the score at one. On the power play, Johnny Witzke made a quick move to his left to get in shooting position. He drifted a wrister through traffic that Ripplinger redirected past Justen Close.

Early in the second, Kindersley regained the lead. Grant Ziegler deked his way in from the point and fired a backhand away, which Anthony stopped. The Klippers swarmed the crease, however, hacking away until McKenzie sent the puck trickling over the goal line. 

The prettiest goal of the game came from the Bruins three and a half minutes later to tie the game. Isaiah Thomas retrieved the puck at the wall by the left circle, walked out from the wall and unleashed a pinpoint-accurate wrister over the shoulder of Close. 

That was the last goal for Estevan, however. Midway through the third, Austin Nault gained a step on Bronson Adams down the right wing side and fired a low hard shot to the far pad, creating a rebound that Neumeier promptly buried for his first of the year. It was all the scoring Kindersley would need.

The Bruins pressed late, and had their share of chances. Michael McChesney ripped a one-timer on the power play that was labeled for the top corner, only to be foiled by close. Jayden Davis broke in alone and shot low blocker, only for Close to rob him on the initial shot and pounce on the rebound. 

With the third period winding down and just five seconds left on the clock, Cyr potted an empty net goal to put the game firmly out of reach. 

Estevan suffered their first loss of the season to fall to 3-1, but have no time to feel sorry for themselves as they play once again just hours later, taking on Humboldt at 1 PM local time. Catch that game on your home of the Bruins, Rock 106.

GAME NOTES:

Turner Ripplinger now has six goals in his first four games in Estevan. He shares the SJHL in that department with Ben Hiltz.

TJ Irey extended his point streak with an assist on Ripplinger’s goal. He maintains the SJHL scoring lead with 12 points in 4 games.

Isaiah Thomas now owns the rookie scoring lead with four points in five games. He has goals in his last two contests.

This is the second year in a row the Bruins have lost to Kindersley for their first defeat of the season. They lost 7-5 in Kindersley in September of 2017 just before the showcase.