Winning three games in three nights is a hard feat to accomplish, even at home, but the Estevan Apex Bruins managed to do just that.
The midget AA squad defeated the Notre Dame Hounds 6-3 on Friday, the Weyburn Wings 6-3 on Saturday and the Yorkton Terriers 6-4 on Sunday. The Bruins (8-4-3) are now undefeated in six games.
All three opponents are below .500 in the South Saskatchewan Minor Hockey League standings.
"This was huge. We looked at this a couple of weeks ago saying this was going to be a big weekend," said Apex Bruins head coach Dalton Giblett, adding that getting some players back from injury helped.
On Sunday, Kolten Ganson scored the winner with 2:28 to play in a game that was back and forth to the end.
"We didn't quit. We forced them really well and caused turnovers," said Giblett. "We had lots of chances earlier in the game to pull away from them, we just didn't score. We got a couple of breaks toward the end which helped us out. That was probably the key, we just didn't quit working."
Caleb Sutter drew first blood for the Terriers (4-11-2) less than two minutes in.
Kaelan Holt and Blaine Herzberg responded later in the period to put the Bruins ahead 2-1 after 20 minutes.
Yorkton tied it two minutes into the second on a Grayson Neufeld goal and Brendan Dzuba put them ahead at 6:32.
Ganson knotted the score at 3-3 with his first of the game halfway through the period.
The Bruins regained the lead less than three minutes into the third, as Dylan Lay converted a centring feed from Holt on a power play, shortly after Estevan had killed off a 5-on-3.
The Terriers tied it once more at the 7:12 mark, courtesy of a Colton Dudar goal.
Ganson's winner came on a power play, as he tucked the rebound of a point shot into the net.
Mitchell Morrison added an insurance tally with 47 seconds left, taking a feed from Kyle Salaway on a 2-on-1.
Giblett said Lay, Salaway, Morrison and Ganson were among the players who led the way on Sunday.
On Saturday, the Bruins doubled up the last-place Wings (2-9-1).
"It was closer than it should have been. Nothing against Weyburn, but we just didn't bury our chances to put them away early," said Giblett.
The Bruins led 2-1 after 20 minutes, with Kale Little and Ryley Giblett scoring two minutes apart. Nick Zerie replied for Weyburn with three minutes left in the period.
Morrison extended the Bruins' cushion 48 seconds into the second, with Morgan Gallais and Holt exchanging goals 68 seconds apart later in the period to make it 4-2 Estevan.
Colton Winton and Ganson scored for the Bruins in the third, with Karsen Szczecinski netting Weyburn's third goal.
On Friday, facing their toughest competition of the weekend, the Bruins scored three unanswered goals in the third period to skate away from the Hounds (7-9-1).
"It was back and forth, but the third period is when we stepped it up and pulled away from them," said Giblett.
There were five goals in the first period, as the Bruins emerged with a 3-2 lead.
Matt Bill, Ganson and Lay had the Estevan goals in the period, while Dylan Haney and Patrick Normandeau scored for the Hounds.
Normandeau's second of the night was the lone goal of the second period, coming with 4:14 left.
Preston Hutt scored the eventual winner for the Bruins at 2:32 of the third. Blaine Herzberg, midway through the period, and Bill, with 73 seconds left, added some insurance.
Giblett said the successful homestand was important after a middling start to the season.
"The guys are pretty happy. It was a big weekend and everybody feels it, so hopefully we can just build on that."
He added that there are still things to work on, including the power play.
The Bruins will return to action this weekend. They host the powerhouse Swift Current Hurricanes on Saturday at 8 p.m. at Affinity Place. On Sunday, they visit the Regina Capitals.
