ESTEVAN - The Estevan Bruins inched closer to securing a playoff spot Saturday with a 5-2 road win over the Yorkton Terriers.
Estevan's first three goals were on the power play. Ilia Chmelevski scored on a man advantage with 6 1/2 minutes remaining in the first period. Then Keagon Little and Owen Barrow added power-play goals in the second; Little's goal was 92 seconds into the frame.
Estevan also had a five-minute power play in the third that included a two-man advantage for two minutes, but couldn't convert despite several excellent scoring chances.
Yorkton made it interesting with power-play goals of their own by Anthony McIntosh and David Coyle in the third period. Barrow dashed any hopes of a Yorkton comeback when he notched his second of the game shortly after Coyle's goal, and Raine Hodge finished the scoring with an empty-net goal in the final minute.
Little (one goal and two assists) and Alex Papaspyropoulos (three assists) each had three-point games.
Jackson Miller stopped 17 shots for Estevan, while Ethan Farrow made 20 saves for Yorkton.
The win came a night after a 5-4 loss to the Nipawin Hawks on Friday night in Estevan. The game had a listless start, as Nipawin outshot the host team 9-2, and the Bruins didn't register a shot on goal until after the 15-minute mark of the first. Miller made some big saves for the Bruins in the frame.
The teams traded goals in the second. Barrow opened the scoring on a break 2:04 into the period, but Alex Bernauer tied the game a few minutes later. Owen Simmons' goal 9:03 into the frame put the Bruins back in front, but Chase Visser knotted up the game 36 seconds later.
Cade Kennedy scored on a long shot with 5:15 to play in the frame, but Nipawin's Liam McInnis tied the game eight seconds later on a fluke goal.
Goals by Maguire Ratzlaff and Jacob Michelson put Nipawin ahead by two six minutes into the third. A pinching Simmons scored with 4:37 to play in the third to wrap up the scoring.
Miller finished the night with 21 saves, while Tyson Endall had 24 saves for Nipawin.
Estevan has a 23-22-2-2 record and 50 points with seven games remaining. They currently sit tied with the Kindersley for the sixth seed; the Bruins have a game in hand. The Melville Millionaires are fifth with 51 points and eight games left, and the Weyburn Red Wings are eighth with 46 points and nine games to play. The top eight teams make the playoffs.
Nipawin is ninth with 42 points and seven games to play.
Estevan will visit the Melfort Mustangs on Feb. 28, and the Flin Flon Bombers on March 1 and 2.
