The Estevan CanElson Drilling Bruins are still looking for their second win of the season after dropping a pair of one-goal games last week.
On Saturday, the Bruins surrendered the winning goal with barely five minutes to play in a 3-2 loss to the Yorkton Terriers. A few days earlier, on Sept. 24, they fell 3-2 in a shootout against the Melfort Mustangs.
Despite coming out with no points for the first time in four games this year, Bruins head coach Chris Lewgood was happy with his team's effort against the defending champions in Yorkton.
"I thought it was our best yet. I thought we played as close to 60 minutes as we have all year. Our guys worked hard and seemed to be on the same page. I thought we were a lot better team than we were against Melfort," said Lewgood.
"The territorial advantage was fairly even. They put one more puck in the net than we did and that was the only real difference I saw."
Zach Zadorozniak, Chase Norrish and Jordan Ross scored for the Terriers, with Nolan Nicholas and Darcy DeRoose replying for the Bruins.
Zadorozniak scored the only goal of the first period, lighting the lamp at the 5:45 mark.
The Terriers took a 2-0 lead early in the second, with Norrish scoring on a power play at 1:43.
Nicholas got the Bruins on the board eight minutes later, also with the man advantage.
DeRoose pulled the Bruins into a tie at the exact midpoint of the third period, but the Terriers struck back 4:37 later on Ross's winner.
Estevan outshot Yorkton 30-28.
The Terriers are considered a legitimate threat to repeat as league champions, but Lewgood said the Bruins can't be satisfied with anything less than two points regardless.
"It's nice to know you can play with those guys. They got off to a little slower start than I'm sure they wanted to. (But) we expect to win those games, not just skate with them."
Sophomore left winger Wyatt Garagan made his season debut on Saturday, returning from a shoulder injury suffered in the pre-season.
Rookie right winger Lynnden Pastachak, also out with a shoulder ailment, is considered day-to-day and could play on Friday when the Bruins visit the La Ronge Ice Wolves.
Against Melfort, the Bruins led 2-0 after the second period but blew that lead in the third before losing in a shootout.
DeRoose opened the scoring 1:19 into the first after stealing the puck from defenceman Matt Saunderson in the neutral zone, then scoring on a partial breakaway.
Daae extended the cushion with just over a minute to go in the second, finishing off a cross-ice feed from Tanner Froese.
The Mustangs roared back in the third, starting with Anthony Pickering's goal 2:47 into the period.
Brandon Sloan evened it up with 2:50 to play, burying a shot past Brett Lewchuk from the slot.
Adam Fauchoux would win it in the eighth round of the shootout, firing a wrist shot over Lewchuk.
Eight members of the Bruins were invited to the SJHL Showcase Monday and Tuesday. The event took place in Warman, with a new format featuring teams representing each age group.
Nicholas, Zach Douglas and Keegan Allison were selected for the team of 1995- and 1996-born players; David Robertson and Hudson Morrison played with the 1994 squad; and Froese, Matt Gibney and Corey Kosloski suited up with the 1993 team.
Pastachak and Lewchuk (knee) were invited but could not play due to injury.
Lewgood said that although spots were limited, he felt left wingers Darcy DeRoose and Austin Daae also should have been invited.
The Bruins will head up north this weekend, facing La Ronge on Friday, the Nipawin Hawks on Saturday and the Humboldt Broncos on Sunday.
