In a winner-take-all game, a stretch of 81 seconds played a significant role in ending the Estevan Apex Bruins' season.
The midget AA club fell 6-1 to the Regina Capitals on March 19 in Game 3 of their semifinal series, knocking the Bruins out of the South Saskatchewan Minor Hockey League playoffs.
The Bruins trailed by just two goals after two periods, but the first-place Capitals scored three times in rapid succession early in the third to wrap up the victory.
"We just had a horrible five minutes and they scored three goals. It kinda deflated us once they got that third one, and then we just stopped and the avalanche hit us," said Bruins head coach Dalton Giblett.
Giblett said his team was still in it up until that point.
"We needed to score first and that didn't happen. Then we got into the second and they scored pretty quick on a power play goal. We battled, worked hard, they got another one later on and it was 2-0 after two. We did have a couple of chances to score and didn't quite capitalize," he said.
After a scoreless first period, Regina's Ty Barnstable got his team on the board less than two minutes into the second with a man advantage.
Jarred Hicks extended the hosts' lead to 2-0 late in the period.
The torrent of goals early in the third began three minutes in when Bryce Platt scored. Matt Bohay put his team ahead 4-0 barely a minute later and Kaden Hintz added to the lead 16 seconds later.
The Bruins replied 66 seconds after that, with Kaelan Holt scoring their only goal of the night.
Jake Heerspink closed out the scoring on a power play for Regina with 25 seconds left.
Estevan had won Game 1 of the series 5-4 and lost 4-1 in Game 2.
The Capitals went on to face the Moose Jaw Warriors in the final, with the third and deciding game to be played last night.
Giblett said his players should be happy with what they accomplished this year.
"I'm really proud of our team. We said that after the game. We had guys that stepped it up and played great through the playoffs and the last month of the season. We had key injuries. The kids battled hard and every one of them's gotta hold their head up. They had a great season. Some people didn't expect us to go that far and we improved.
"At the end of the day, we were in the last four teams battling for the league championship and you've gotta be happy with that."
Giblett noted that the team was up and down during the early parts of the regular season, but straightened it out down the stretch.
"I think probably at the start and in the middle we were pretty inconsistent, up and down, and when you get that inconsistency it drives you crazy.
"The last six weeks of the season, including playoffs, the guys really came out and played."
The Bruins are losing five players to graduation, not including any players who could make the jump to midget AAA next year. They include goalie Tanner Tytlandsvik, defencemen Kale Little and Ryley Giblett and forwards Dylan Lay and Blaine Herzberg.
"There's the basis to have a very, very strong team here next year. Losing those five guys, the character is what you'll miss the most, but there's some young guys coming up next year to step in," Giblett said.
