Bad blood and special teams’ prowess were on full display during the Estevan Apex midget AA Bruins 5-1 win over the Moose Jaw Warriors at Affinity Place on Sunday.
Less than 24 hours after the Bruins dispatched the Warriors courtesy of an 8-0 score, the Black and Gold went back to business with defenceman Dylan Hull scoring a power-play marker from the point through traffic just over three minutes into the teams’ second contest. Fellow rearguard Tristan Seeman made it 2-0 about six minutes later on another man advantage by batting in a Dawson Schaff rebound before the normally stay-at-home defenceman notched his second on a shot from the point at the 11:59 mark.
“The defence are very important (at creating offence),” said Seeman, who only had three goals in 16 games this season before the Sunday encounter with the Warriors. “We contribute a lot on the power play and we find the back of the net.”
Rough and hard-hitting play defined the first 20 minutes of the game resulting in a continual parade to the penalty box for both clubs. The Warriors’ Josh Fitzpatrick capitalized on one carry-over man advantage 15 seconds into the second period slapping a Dawson Kurz rebound top corner on Bruins netminder Ethan Veroba. Estevan forward Jordan Stein and Moose Jaw defenceman Brendan Seida dropped the gloves shortly afterwards with each landing a few heavy blows.
Bruins veteran centre Hunter Piche said the rough-and-tumble contest against the Warriors was expected noting the Moose Jaw players always lay a hit at every opportunity. He said their reply was to just give back as much as they get, make sure they score on their chances with the power play and force them hard on the penalty kill.
The Warriors (7-12-3) seemed to take control of the play at times during the middle frame with Kurtz earning a quality opportunity to score 12 minutes in on a deke through traffic only to fire the puck wide, which was followed by a Noah Braun break down the wing with Veroba coming up big as the last line of defence. Bruins centre Dalton Schrader helped relieve the pressure with 52 seconds remaining in the second period wiring a one-timer from the slot five hole on Warriors goalie Zen Tucker.
Veroba came up big again in the third period stabbing out his glove to catch a Joel Litt-Jukes deflection that was going top corner 12 minutes in before stacking the pads on Litt-Jukes on a Warriors two-on-one break with just over two minutes remaining. Piche scored the Bruins fifth goal off the ensuing rush.
The Bruins (17-4-1) finish off their pre-Christmas schedule with a home date against the South Saskatchewan Minor Hockey League’s top seeded Weyburn Streamline Oilfield Wings (19-2-1) this Friday at Affinity Place. Estevan currently sits second in the league with the Yorkton Kinsmen Terriers (15-4-2) and Melville Millionaires (16-5) right on their heels.
“Everybody has got to be going for that (Weyburn) game,” said Piche. “It’s a big one. The top four spots are pretty close, so we need to get two points.”
