The Bruins will face the Kindersley Klippers in their first matchup of the 2018 playoffs after the Klippers beat out the Battlefords North Stars to secure their spot. The series is expected to begin on the weekend of March 16-18.

The Bruins and Klippers have played an exceptionally tight season series despite the difference between the two standings. With the exception of a 7-5 Klippers victory on September 22, every game has been decided by a single goal. 

The Klippers have faired well against the Bruins so far this year, earning points in all four games. Their two losses came in overtime on January 10 in Estevan and in a shootout on January 31 in Kindersley. Michael McChesney was the hero in Kindersley, scoring the game tying goal and posting one in the shootout as well. Johnny Witzke fired the OT winner past Justen Close at Affinity Place on the tenth. 

Close will be very much a factor in the series, as he's held the Bruins to two goals or fewer in regulation in the last three contests between the two. He made 37 saves on 38 shots in a win over Estevan on January 13, and stopped 35 of 37 in the Bruins victory in Kindersley. He was a co-winner of the SJHL's goaltender of the year.

As for the skaters, it will be a battle of opposites. The Bruins lead the SJHL with 229 goals for but have the highest goals against total of any team outside the survivor series with 178.

The Klippers, meanwhile, have surrendered 169 goals but have only scored 168, leaving them as the only team outside the survivor series with negative goal differential. 

The Bruins boast two 30-goal scorers in Kaelan Holt and Zach Goberis, and Michael McChesney currently sits with 29 with two games left. They also have Arthur Miller, Jake Fletcher, and Hayden Guilderson with over 20 goals.

KAELAN HOLT AND JAKE FLETCHER ON ROCK 106:  

Conversely, the Klippers have just one player with more than 20 goals, that being Tanner Thomspon with 25, and one player with over 50 points, former Nipawin Hawk Keillan Olson with 57.  

Kindersley boasts plenty of size up front and some heavy hitters, with six players 6'2 or taller (to the Bruins two) and three players at or over 6'5. They also lead the SJHL in penalty minutes with 1525.

Worth noting is that Estevan is second in the SJHL in PIMS with 1440, so a physical series is almost certainly on tap. The two teams racked up 199 penalty minutes over three games in January. 

The series will start with two games in Estevan before shifting to Kindersley. Rock 106 will carry every game, and you can find recaps on Discover Estevan dot com.