Two losses were enough to see the Estevan Bruins leap frog the Yorkton Terriers for first place in the Sherwood Division of the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League.
The first loss came in Estevan last Tuesday, (Nov. 6).
The host Bruins led 1-0 after 20-minutes of play on a goal by Michael McChesney.
It took only 1:23 in the second before TJ Irey would give Estevan a 2-0.
But a goal at 15:55 by Mason Mullaney would cut the lead in half sending the teams to the third frame with the Bruins up 2-1.
The third would be the Bruins’ as Bryce Platt struck at 7:46 and less than a minute later Turner Ripplinger completed the scoring finishing the 4-1 Bruin win.
Ryan Ouellette took the loss in the Terrier net facing 45-shots, with Jake Anthony grabbing the win for Estevan facing 43.
“I thought we played good enough to win,” offered Terrier head coach Mat Hehr, adding they out-shot the Bruins but we hit “a hot goalie.”
Friday the Terriers were in Humboldt where a pair of first period goals would give the host Broncos a 2-0 lead which would hold through a scoreless second period.
In the third Brayden Camrud would make it 3-0 on the powerplay.
Clarke would complete his hat trick on the powerplay as well to make it 4-0.
Jared Legien and Branden Klatt both scored on a Terrier powerplay, and then a marker by Cody Bruchkowski all in a span of 2:12 would put Yorkton in the game at 4-3.
But that would be it for Terrier scoring, while Owen Guenter on the powerplay, and Logan Foster with 1:26 left in the game would round out a 6-3 Bronco win.
Ouellette again took the loss in the Terrier net facing 41-shots, with Dane Dow getting the win facing 37.
“Obviously we have had a tough week. Now we find out what kind of team we have,” said Hehr.
The two losses dropped the Terrier record to 10-9-1 for 21 points, now trailing Estevan by three points in the SJHL Viterra Division. Weyburn sits third with 18 points, with Melville fourth with 16.
Legien was also the Canalta Hotel Player of the Week in the SJHL for the week of Nov. 5. He scored four-goals and four-assists in three-games played in the week.
The standings set up a big game as Estevan visits Saturday, a game which will be played in Canora.
“We practiced at the Kinsmen (Arena in Yorkton) all week so we hope that helps,” said Hehr.
Hehr said a key for the Terriers moving forward will include working on their transition game. That will be very important in Canora where he said they will be playing “on the smallest neutral zone we’ll see all year.”
