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Estevan Bears keep playoff hopes alive with win over Moose Jaw

The U13 AA Bruins get five of six possible points
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The Estevan Bears picked up a big win Sunday.

ESTEVAN - The Estevan Steelhaus U18 AAA Bears kept their hopes of making the playoffs alive Sunday afternoon with a 3-2 win over the Moose Jaw Warriors at Affinity Place.

Tucker Buhay and Kole Keen scored in the opening frame for Estevan. Moose Jaw scored twice in the second to tie the game, including a short-handed marker in the final minute.

Jase Konecsni’s goal with about five minutes to play in the third was the winner for Estevan.

Jackson Miller was stellar in goal for the Bears, stopping 44 of the 46 shots he faced.

The win came a day after the Bears lost 7-6 in a shootout to Moose Jaw, a game that Estevan led 5-2 in the second. Marshall Light scored twice, and Boston Harkness, Tucker Buhay and Caden Drury also scored to give Estevan the lead. Moose Jaw fought back to tie the game with three goals less than two minutes apart in the middle frame, and took a 6-5 lead in the third.

Carson Birnie tied the game for Estevan with a goal late in the third.

Kaden Perron made 36 saves on 42 shots.

Earlier in the week, Estevan lost 5-1 to the Yorkton Maulers. Daniel Ganert had the Bears’ lone goal midway through the third period.

Miller and Perron shared the goaltending duties.

Estevan (12-20-7) sits 10th in the standings, six points back of the Swift Current Legionnaires for the eighth and final playoff spot. The Bears have five games remaining; the Legionnaires have seven.

The Bears will visit the Legionnaires Feb. 12 and 13.

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The Estevan TS&M U15 AA Bruins lost 11-0 to the Saskatoon Stallions Sunday afternoon at Affinity Place. Saskatoon led 1-0 after the first period, but then pulled away.

Chase Borreson and Jaxon Kuchinka shared the goaltending duties for Estevan.

Estevan (4-21) will visit Swift Current on Feb. 5 and Moose Jaw on Feb. 6.

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The Estevan Meter U13 AA Bruins picked up five of a possible six points in games they played against the Yorkton Terriers on the weekend.

Estevan tied Yorkton 2-2 Thursday night in Yorkton. Boston Tait and Nathan Gardiner scored for Estevan.

Easton Pushie stopped 19 of the 21 shots he faced.

The Bruins then edged the Terriers 3-2 on Saturday at Affinity Place. Tait’s second of the game 62 seconds into the third period was the game winner. Jayden Chernoff also scored.

Pushie made 38 saves on 40 shots to earn the win.

Then on Sunday, Estevan doubled up the Terriers 6-3. Gardiner and Broden Henry scored in the first for a 2-0 lead through one, and then Ryden Summers, Gardiner and Tait had goals in the second for a 5-2 Estevan lead after 40 minutes.

Jayden Chernoff rounded out the scoring early in the third.

Myles Lequyer made 22 saves for Estevan.

The Bruins (18-3-1) are tied for first with the Swift Current Broncos in the South Division of the Saskatchewan AA Hockey League’s U13 circuit. Both teams have 37 points, but Swift Current has two games in hand.

Estevan will host Swift Current on Feb. 12 at 1 p.m. and at noon the following day. Both games will be at Affinity Place. Then they will visit Swift Current on Feb. 15 to close out the regular season.