The Estevan Sherritt Coal Bruins' provincial run may be over, but the peewee AA team did the unthinkable in bowing out.
The Bruins handed the powerhouse Yorkton Terriers their first loss all season last Tuesday, 5-4, in Game 2 of their provincial series.
Yorkton posted a 20-0 regular season record, scoring 219 goals and allowing just 25, and last month they competed at the prestigious Quebec International Peewee Hockey Tournament. The Bruins had lost Game 1 of the series 8-2 on Feb. 23 in Yorkton.
On Tuesday, Yorkton led 2-1 after the first period, but the Bruins came out flying in the second and took a 4-2 lead after 40 minutes.
Estevan would add a fifth goal early in the third to open up a remarkable three-goal lead on the Terriers, but Yorkton netted a pair of late goals to make it close. Preston Brodziak and Hunter Piche each scored twice for the Bruins, with Josh Skjonsby and Dawson Nobiss adding singles.
Skjonsby added two assists. Carson Welke and Alec Zawatsky each scored twice for Yorkton. Ethan Veroba was between the pipes for the Bruins in the victory.
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The Estevan Sherritt Coal midget A Bruins are on to the second round of the Moose Mountain Minor Hockey League playoffs after winning a thrilling three-game series against the Radville Nationals.
Cole Stevenson scored 1:57 into overtime to give the Bruins a 5-4 win in the third and deciding game on Monday night at the Civic Auditorium.
The team will play Coronach in the West Division final, with dates to be determined.
Radville had won Game 1 5-4 in overtime on Thursday, followed by a 10-0 shellacking by Estevan in Game 2 on Friday.
In Game 2, played in Radville, Jayden Storozuk and Landon Lavoie led the way with a hat trick and six points each, while Stephan Peloquin and Stevenson scored two goals apiece.
On Thursday in Estevan, it was Brodie Nergard playing the overtime hero for Radville as he scored 4:08 into the extra frame. It was his second goal of the game. Evan Bourassa, Ian Labbie and Riley Tessier also scored for the Nationals.
Lavoie had a hat trick for the Bruins, including two goals in the final 13 minutes of regulation to force overtime. Kelly Tomiski scored their other goal.
Meanwhile, the Bruins got off to a good start in the SHA provincial south final, beating Swift Current 6-2 in the first game of that series on Saturday. Lavoie, Storozuk, Tyson Price, Stevenson, Peloquin and Nolan Graham supplied the offence for the Bruins, who scored four times in the second period.
Dylan Gerbrandt and Josh Argotow replied for Swift Current.
Game 2 is Saturday at Spectra Place. Game time is 7:30 p.m.
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The Estevan Baxter Cougars won their opening game in the South Saskatchewan Female Hockey League playoffs on Friday.
The bantam A squad got two goals in the third period to earn a 4-2 victory over the Weyburn Oilers.
Paige Collopy and Rayna Gibson each scored twice for the Cougars, while Chelsey Schiller and Riley Loreth replied for the Oilers. Chloe Rolufs was in goal for Estevan.
Game 2 of the series is on Saturday in Weyburn. Meanwhile, the Cougars began their provincial semifinal series against the Regina Renegades on Sunday, losing 4-2.
The Renegades took a 3-0 lead in the second period, but the Cougars clawed back with a pair of goals.
Collopy and Shelby Betzema scored for the visitors.
Michaela Fettes-Lalonde, Natalie Kazymyra, Taylor Herron and Meaghan Roland had the Regina goals.
Game 2 of the series is on Sunday at 5 p.m. at the Civic Auditorium.
