The Estevan Apex midget AA Bruins found success in the opposing zone on the weekend scoring six goals in each of their games.
Coach Dalton Giblett chalked up the offensive success to a renewed focus on special teams. After a dismal game by the team's power-play units, in which they went one for 10, he decided it was time to get the power play running with more fire.
"Our power play is starting to click a little bit, which is definitely helping, but if you score 12 goals in two games, it's pretty good," said Giblett.
He said they've filled power play and penalty killing roles to allow more consistency when a penalty has been called.
"Our power play has stepped up to score the goals, but our penalty killing has been awesome. We got some real energy guys killing penalties right now, and it's really working well so far. Yes, everybody wants to play the power play, but everything seems to be working. You want everybody to buy into those roles," added Giblett. "You see some disappointment on the benches, but now we are having our mid-term report cards. We're going to sit down and now we're really going to be stressing their roles throughout."
He said the assignment of roles is partly a way to break some of the monotony of the season as the games become more meaningful.
"You find you get a little stale after Christmas, and we can't do that because that's provincial time," said Giblett. "We're splitting things up in December like that, and sitting down with these kids and telling them individually what we expect of their roles, pumping their tires. Hopefully they buy in and it gives them some fresh breath and away we go."
The Bruins first win of the weekend was against the Regina Capitals, 6-3 on the road.
Dylan Lay opened the scoring in the first period before Regina tied things up nearing the end of the first.
Before the period died, the Bruins got a power play and their work on the special teams unit paid off, as Mark Shaw scored with an assist to Steven Henderson.
Just 39 seconds into the second, Shaw scored on a power play, with Kyle Salaway and Jolan Lingelbach collecting assists.
Shaw would score his third and fourth goals later in the second period with No. 4 again coming on the power play. Estevan led 5-2 after two frames.
In the final period, the teams traded goals for a 6-3 final. The Bruins were a very respectable three for seven on the power play.
The Bruins won 6-3 on Sunday as well, in a game against the Lumsden Lions played at Spectra Place.
After allowing a goal 33 seconds into the game, the Bruins bounced back with the tying goal by Shaw, as well as a go-ahead tally seven seconds later by Preston Hutt. The Lions tied it up 2-2 before the close of the first.
Shorthanded to start the second, Kaelan Holt knocked a puck down in the neutral zone and walked in on the Lions' goalie on a break, roofing a backhand into the top corner.
Still on the power play a minute later, the Lions tied it up once again.
With the Bruins on a power play of their own later in the second period, Henderson knocked in the game winner. Insurance markers came from Blaine Herzberg in the second period and Shaw in the third.
Levi Eiteneier collected the Sunday win, while Tanner Tytslandsvik was in goal for Saturday's victory.
The wins leading up to Christmas are important because provincial qualifying is set on Dec. 25. The top eight teams will play for a chance at a provincial championship. The Bruins sit tied for sixth for the time being with a pair of games upcoming against Moose Jaw and Weyburn, who are fourth and fifth, respectively.
Two weeks ago, they were eighth and Giblett said they were getting a little nervous about even qualifying for provincials.
"We were starting to get a little antsy. Are we even going to qualify for provincials? Once you get in there and get rolling, who knows what's gonna happen? We're still not out of the woods. We have two big games this week. If we win both of those, that is huge for us to catapult up in the standings."
The Bruins play Moose Jaw tonight at Spectra Place followed by another home game against Weyburn on Friday.
