It was their first big test and the CanElson Drilling Estevan Bruins passed it.
After starting their northern road swing on a sour note Friday with a 2-1 loss to the La Ronge Ice Wolves, the Bruins bounced back with a 5-4 win over the Nipawin Hawks on Saturday and a 5-3 victory over the Humboldt Broncos Sunday.
"It was quite important for several reasons," Lewgood said of the successful weekend. "We consider this first half of the season a growing process, but at the same time you don't want to get behind the eight ball."
The Bruins (3-2-1-1) sat tied with the Yorkton Terriers for first place in the Viterra Division entering last night's action, having played one more game than the Terriers.
On Friday, the Bruins ran into this season's biggest surprise so far in the La Ronge Ice Wolves, with the Wolves earning their fifth straight win to start the year.
"The biggest difference on Friday was they got one more goal than we did. It was anyone's game all night," said Lewgood.
"They work hard, they're a very well-coached team and they have good players. Every team we've played to this point has been competitive. There's a ton of parity in our league this year."
Owen LaClare scored his sixth goal of the year just 15 seconds into the game, giving the Wolves a 1-0 lead after one.
Tanner Froese tied it at the 12:20 mark of the second and it remained a 1-1 game until late in the third period, when Wolves forward Sebastien Beauregard scored the winner with 4:04 to play.
The shots were 41-39 for Estevan, including 20 shots for the Bruins in the third period, all of which were stopped by netminder Tyler Fuhr. Matt Gibney made 37 saves for the Bruins.
The next night saw the Bruins stage a dramatic comeback to topple the Hawks.
With Nipawin leading 4-2 in the third period, the Bruins got two goals from newcomer Cory Millette and one from Hudson Morrison to win it late.
Morrison tied the game with 88 seconds to play on his first goal (and point) of the season. Millette won it with 52 seconds left.
"We could see the excitement on his face after that one and that's because it was such a big goal for the team, but it was also a relief for him," Lewgood said of Morrison's goal.
He added that Millette, re-assigned from the Red Deer Rebels on Friday, played a strong game with linemates Ben Johnstone and another recent acquisition, Austin Roesslein.
"I think it was good for our guys to see that we are capable of that late game comeback. I think it was almost better for us than to have controlled that game from the puck drop. Our guys knew in the room after the second period that we were very much in the game and expected to win it. They learned a lesson that night," Lewgood said.
Tayler Balog and Darcy DeRoose traded goals in the first period, and Estevan took the lead at 5:44 of the second when David Robertson scored his first career junior goal on a power play.
Mitch Doell and Tad Kozun replied for Nipawin later in the frame, with Kozun scoring again 53 seconds into the third.
There were three fights in the game and Lewgood said it got chippy at times.
"There was some rough stuff. Nipawin plays hard at home and they assert themselves there and our guys answered the bell. We're not going to let anyone push us around."
The Bruins outshot the Hawks 31-28.
On Sunday, Estevan did what not many teams can do: win in Humboldt in the last game of a three-games-in-three-nights road trip.
"It was pretty special for some of the guys. Tanner Froese said it was his first time ever winning in Humboldt in his junior career. They've always had strong teams and always been able to catch teams on the back end of a swing and that makes it tough," Lewgood said.
The Bruins scored three times in a span of 2:40 late in the third period en route to the victory, getting goals from Austin Daae, DeRoose and Johnstone.
"In the third period of a three-game swing, it's tough to expect that kind of output, but at the same time, when you're able to roll four lines, play with three sets of defencemen and both goaltenders, you don't tire as quickly. Our depth allowed us to sustain a pretty good level of play throughout the weekend," Lewgood.
DeRoose scored twice for the Bruins, with Corey Kosloski notching the other goal, while Austin Duzan, Ryan Aubertin and Stuart Symenuk responding for the Broncos.
Brett Lewchuk stopped 40 pucks for the Bruins, who outshot Humboldt 45-43.
"He was steady. He makes everything look so easy, but boy, he's played well for us in his two starts. Goaltending is a non-factor for us with those two guys," Lewgood said of Lewchuk's performance.
The Bruins are now in the midst of a 10-day break, with their next game Oct. 16 at home against Flin Flon. Lewgood said the players would be sent home for a few days to enjoy Thanksgiving with their families.
