For much of game three between the Estevan Bruins and Humboldt Broncos on Monday, March 18, the Bruins had control of the puck and the pace. For the few moments they didn't however, often because of their own errors, the Broncos made them pay. 

Six different Broncos scored and Rayce Ramsay was excellent again, stopping 40 of 43 pucks thrown his way, as the Broncos took game three by a 6-3 margin, and with it, a 2-1 series lead. Grant Boldt surrendered those goals on just 30 shots, but most of the Broncos chances came from in tight after a defensive breakdown.

HIGHLIGHTS:

The Bruins opened the scoring, burying a power-play goal for the first time all series long. After the man advantage struggled to gain traction, they finally gained and held the zone late, with Devan Harrison's point shot fooling Ramsay for the opening goal with just six seconds left in Logan Foster's high sticking minor. The Broncos soon evened the score on a power play of their own, however, with Josh Patrician's seeing-eye point shot finding the top corner through traffic.

The first of a series of bad turnovers cost the Bruins for the first time at 10:50 of the first, when Mitch Zambon batted Eddie Gallagher's errant cross-ice pass out of the air, walked in alone and faked out Boldt to put the Broncos in front. The Bruins responded before the period was out, however, with TJ Irey getting a breakaway out of the penalty box and flipping a backhand past Ramsay. 

Early in the second, with Derek Patter already off for a slash, Colin Macpherson got caught high-sticking Tristyn DeRoose. On the ensuing 5-on-3, Jake Heerspink had some room to walk into a shot and blasted one past Ramsay for the third goal of the game for the Bruins.

Unfortunately for Estevan, that was the end of their scoring, and Humboldt was just getting started. First, Michael Clarke and Bryson Cecconi scored goals within 29 seconds of each other, both off Bruin turnovers down low, to put the Broncos out front. Then, in the last minute of the second, the Broncos forced another turnover, and this time it was Owen Guenter who converted. His shot went off the post behind Boldt, off his back, and into the net.

The Bruins refused to go quietly, pressing hard for a goal. Moments after missing an opportunity on a redirect in front, however, the Bruins again felt the brunt of the Broncos quick-strike offense as they went back up the ice and Cecconi dropped it off for Foster, who wired it over Boldt's glove hand.

Late in the game, the Bruins pulled Boldt for the extra attacker, but Ramsay made some of his finest saves of the night in the dying moments. The Broncos held the fort late to keep the score 6-3 for the win.

The Bruins trail the series 2-1 but won't have to wait long for their chance to tie it up. Game four is slated for Tuesday, March 19, at 7:30. You can hear that game on Rock 106.

GAME NOTES

Entering play, the Bruins and Broncos were a combined 0-for-14 on the power play through the series. The Bruins went 2-for-5 on the game, while Humboldt went 1-for-5.

Jake Heerspink and Bryson Cecconi, two of the teams' leading scorers among defensemen in the regular season, are tied for the series lead in goals with two each. Heerspink had a career-high nine goals in the regular season.

Ramsay now boasts a .938 save percentage through three games. He posted a .923 save percentage in the regular season.