After a disappointing outcome on Saturday, the CanElson Drilling Estevan Bruins rebounded with a gutsy effort on Sunday to pick up their first victory of 2013.
Hudson Morrison scored with 36 seconds left in regulation and the Bruins went on to defeat the Battlefords North Stars 4-3 in a shootout on Sunday. They had lost 4-3 to the Kindersley Klippers on Saturday after allowing two goals in the third period.
Morrison's second goal of the night on Sunday helped rescue the team from what looked like a similar fate.
Alex Cote and recent returnee Dylan Smith scored for Estevan in the shootout to give the team two enormous points in the standings.
The Bruins (13-22-2) sat five points behind the fourth-place Kindersley Klippers with a game in hand entering last night's home game against Notre Dame.
They are also four points ahead of the Weyburn Red Wings, who lost both of their weekend games.
"The most important part of it wasn't the two points. The most important part was guys working hard, doing what we asked of them and being rewarded for it. That instills a bit of the belief that we need to have going forward," said Bruins head coach Keith Cassidy.
"It was a hard game, it was physical, it was gritty and we got into some penalty trouble but we battled through it as a hockey club and continued to play hard."
The game in North Battleford was moved from Friday to Sunday due to poor road conditions in the southeast on Friday.
Josh Betinol scored the only goal of the first period for the Stars on a power play at the 17:45 mark.
Morrison scored his first of two markers shorthanded five minutes into the second to tie it up, only for Betinol to score another power play tally midway through the period.
Zach Douglas replied for the Bruins at the 13-minute mark with his first SJHL goal.
Blake Young put the North Stars back on top 54 seconds into the third period, and the score stayed that way until Morrison's late goal on a rebound.
Cassidy said Morrison has been a tremendous asset to the team as an 18-year-old.
"You know what he brings to the rink every night, and having him step up and play as big of a role as he has surprises a lot of people, but in terms of his competitiveness, we knew what we were getting. It's nice to see someone like that step in in their first year and not shy away from shouldering a responsibility. He knows how important he is to this hockey club and that's nothing that scares him. He relishes the challenge," said Cassidy.
On Saturday, the Bruins had a strong first period, getting goals from Morrison and Smith in the first three minutes of the game. Ryan Doner would reply for Kindersley 11 minutes in.
Gio Bombini tied the game two minutes into the middle frame, but Cole Olson capitalized on the power play to put Estevan back on top about 13 minutes in.
The Bruins took the 3-2 lead to the third period, but Colby Daniels erased that just 1:55 in with a power play goal.
Klippers defenceman Troy Gedny scored the winner at the 14-minute mark.
"They were clean shots and I think (goalie Curtis Martinu) would agree that he'd want them back. He steps up and helps us, we gotta step up and help him," said Cassidy.
He added that Klippers rookie goalie Tyrell King was phenomenal after starter Warren Shymko was yanked three minutes into the game.
"We battled hard and had great scoring chances and young Mr. King came in and stole the game for Kindersley. The guys weren't down after (the game). They felt the chemistry, they felt excited, the excitement of having Dylan back was there," said the coach.
Saturday's game was Smith's first since rejoining the Bruins at the SJHL trade deadline. He played on a line with Olson and Alex Cote, and Cassidy said the results were impressive.
"They had pretty good chemistry right off the start. They were the dominant line. The scoring chances that they manufactured were unbelievable."
On the injury front, the Bruins have recalled rookie goalie Travis Pelletier from the Pilot Butte Storm of the Prairie Junior Hockey League after getting the news that Steven Glass's knee woes have returned.
It appears that the two starts he made in December will be the only ones for him this season.
"For the foreseeable future, all he's going to be doing is rehab. His specialist in Saskatoon is baffled as to why it's taking so long. His message to Glass was to shut 'er down for the foreseeable future," said Cassidy.
