The Estevan Bruins returned to a familiar script of late on Wednesday, October 3. They played two good, at times excellent periods of hockey but were badly outscored in one frame that cost them the contest. 

The Bruins outshot, and arguably outplayed, the Notre Dame Hounds, but mental errors and turnovers beset them in a second period in which they gave up five goals. That was all the scoring the Hounds would need in a 5-2 victory.

Kadin Kilpatrick was saddled with the loss for Estevan, but he gave the Bruins the best chance they had to get back in the game, making several highlight reel saves in the losing effort. He turned aside 26 of the 31 pucks sent his way. 

HIGHLIGHTS:

Tom Sweeney and Ryder Pierson scored their first SJHL goals and Jerzy Martin added two assists with the fourth line doing all the scoring for Estevan. Nolan Renwick, Noah Bankowski, Jakob Breault, Cole Stevenson, and Qaritag Kusugak-Clark tallied for the Hounds.

Estevan started the scoring and got the only goal of the first period despite plenty of chances each way. Martin drove the net wide from the outside and created a rebound for Pierson, who swatted it past Andrew Henderson for his first junior goal.

Renwick got the Hounds back to even in the second, deking his way through the neutral zone and firing a shot over Kilpatrick’s shoulder. Sweeney replied for Estevan as Johnny Witzke leaned into a shot, creating a rebound again that Sweeney buried.

Then the floodgates opened for the Hounds. Bankowski got the scoring started on the man advantage, banking in a rebound off the end board. Then it was Breault’s turn, left alone in front and deking to the backhand to beat Kilpatrick glove-side.

Estevan had a power play that might’ve got them back to even but instead turned the tide in favor of the Hounds as Stevenson converted on a 2-on-1 on the backhand to put the Hounds up 4-2. Kusugak-Clark provided a little extra insurance with his first SJHL goal and that was it for the second. 

The two teams traded chances, and at times fists, in the third period. Neither side solved the other’s goaltender, however, and the Hounds stayed the course for a 5-2 victory. 

The loss drops Estevan to 4-4 on the year. They now embark on a 6-game home stand, beginning on Saturday against the Humboldt Broncos. 

GAME NOTES

Jarred Hamm was ejected in the third period for a hit to the head of Bronson Adams, who was able to stay in the game. Aigne McGeady-Bruce was also ejected after coming to Adams’s defense. 

Austin King-Cunningham and Turner Ripplinger were also ejected in the third period, both for fighting majors. The Bruins were down to four defensemen for the second time this season.

The Bruins have now lost four of their last five games, all on the road, and three of the four have been by three or more goals. They fall to .500 on the year for the first time.

TJ Irey left the game and did not return with a lower-body injury.