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Bruins add goalie Stone, defenceman Milligan

The Estevan Bruins continue to tinker with their lineup, bringing in a pair of new additions last week.


The Estevan Bruins continue to tinker with their lineup, bringing in a pair of new additions last week.

The Moose Jaw Warriors re-assigned 18-year-old goalie Brandon Stone to the Bruins, giving them three netminders again along with Derek Tendler and Steven Glass.

Estevan also acquired 1992-born defenceman Connor Milligan from the Camrose Kodiaks of the Alberta Junior Hockey League on Friday.

Bruins head coach and general manager Keith Cassidy said he will give Stone a chance to show what he can do before cutting down to two goalies again.

"We'll definitely let it play itself out. Any time you get in this situation we've been happy with the goaltending we've had. I think both guys have done everything asked of them and more. We'll see how that competition plays out," he said.

Stone, a native of Abbotsford, B.C., got into 15 games with the Warriors last season.

"He's a bigger goalie. He's certainly got some reasonable experience over the past couple of seasons," said Cassidy.

"He's looked very good in practice so far. The one thing that catches my attention right away is his work ethic."

Stone wasn't expected to see any action in the home-and-home against Weyburn on the weekend, but could start one of two games against Yorkton this week.

Milligan, meanwhile, will be counted on to provide leadership and a calming influence on the back end.

"That's the scouting report on him. We're not looking for him to be Bobby Orr. We don't need that. We need someone who can play some steady minutes for us and he'll be a solid, steadying influence for us," Cassidy said of Milligan.

The Winnipeg native is also a right-handed shot, an added bonus.

Milligan was part of the Kodiaks squad that hosted the RBC Cup last season and also earned some major accolades in his midget career with the Winnipeg Wild.

He captained the Wild and was named the top defenceman and MVP of the Manitoba midget AAA league two years ago.

Cassidy said he tried to recruit Milligan as a 17-year-old when he was coaching the Winnipeg Saints.

News also broke Tuesday morning that 18-year-old winger Austin Daae, recently re-assigned by the WHL's Saskatoon Blades, left the team to join the Prince George Cougars.

Daae's departure leaves the Bruins with 24 players.