The Estevan Bruins wanted some extra momentum and a jump up the standings ahead of the playofffs. They got both with a 5-3 win over the Melville Millionaires in front of a packed house at Affinity Place on March 9. 

Estevan got goals from five different players and Bo Didur stood tall, stopping 35 of 38 shots in the win. Kaelan Holt, Johnny Witzke, Michael McChesney, Arthur Miller, and Jayden Davis all tallied in the win. 

HIGHLIGHTS:  

Holt got things started early for the Bruins, burrying a shorthanded marker just 49 seconds in. Holt and Jake Fletcher took off on a two-on-one, and although Fletcher's initial pass to Holt misfired, the Bruins sniper had the presence of mind to bank the puck off the skate of an out-of-position Colby Entz to give himself 31 goals on the year.

Estevan's special teams struck again in the first, this time on the power play. Witzke skated quickly through centre ice from his own, catching the Millionaires flatfooted. He got a step on the Melville penalty killers to the outside and rifled a shot high glove on Entz to cap off an end-to-end rush.

The Bruins expanded their lead in the second frame. On another odd-man rush, Zach Goberis dropped it to Miller, who slipped it across the ice to McChesney. The Bruins second-year forward made no mistake for his 30th goal of the year and 100th career SJHL point. 

Miller got a goal of his own shorthanded when he walked in on another two-on-one with Davis and ripped a wicked wrister over Entz's blocker bar down. But not long after Melivlle at last got on the board as Isaac Embree threw a puck into traffic from an awkward angle and bounced it in off a skate. 

Late in the second, Melville narrowed the gap further still as Shane Sherban forced a turnover and walked in all alone, outwaiting Bo Didur before dropping the puck to Ethan Kopyczyn for the easy goal.

There would be no third period comeback for Melville on this night, however, as Jayden Davis drove the net midway through the third, opened up the five-hole on Entz and snuck it past him for the insurance goal. Sherban would add another with just under 24 seconds to play, but it was much too late to salvage the game for Melville.

Estevan is now finished the regular season and will begin the playoffs on March 16 and 17 at home against the Kinderlsey Klippers. Those games will air on Rock 106.

GAME NOTES

Michael McChesney's goal was his 30th goal of the year and 100th career point. He is the third Bruin to hit 30 goals on the year, representing half the total 30 goal men in the SJHL.

Estevan vaults Humboldt into fourth in overall points with the win, which may become important if both teams make the second round of the playoffs. Humboldt begins their series with Melfort on the 16th as well.

The Bruins finish the season 5-1 against Melville and 3-0 at home. The Bruins won both the final games by a 5-3 count and swept the Millionaires in a home-and-home for the second time in 2017-18.

For the 1997 born players,  it was their last ever regular season game of junior hockey. Those players for Estevan were Bo Didur Jake Fletcher, Zach Goberis, Hayden Guilderson, Tyler Hengen, Kaelan Holt, Arthur MIller, and Jake Tesarowski.