A few defensive miscues cost the Estevan Blue Sky Air atom AA Bruins a 7-4 loss to the Yorkton Terriers at the Civic Auditorium on Sunday, but the team’s overall strong play in all three zones has their coaching staff optimistic for future positive results.
“The boys are learning,” said Bruins head coach Chuck Lang. “We’re missing our coverage here and there, but everything is tightening up as the season goes on and that’s what you’re looking for as a coach.”
The Terriers (6-3) raced out to a 2-0 lead on goals by Ryder Hildebrandt and Jack Puckett 10 minutes into the contest before Logan Lang brought the home side back to within one at the 15:23 mark on a wrist shot from the bottom of the faceoff circle that beat Yorkton goalie Frazer Farmer short side. Bruins captain Carter Onrait tied the game 17:06 into the second period by rifling a shot top corner glove side from a few feet inside the blue line before Terrier Shaden Duliak replied late in the frame off a deke in close on Estevan netminder Tyler Piper.
The Bruins’ steady stream to the penalty box in the first 10 minutes of the third period helped the Terriers build up a three-goal lead on markers by Walker Long and Matthew Spilchuk before Hildebrandt made it 6-2 with 9:12 remaining in the game. Bruins forward Shae McNabb and Onrait helped close the gap late only to have Duliak put the contest out of reach with 4:10 left.
“The kids are hungry,” said Lang. “We’re forechecking and backchecking well. It’s the little tweaks in the defensive zone and the offensive zone and just working on our pivots and where we need to be in different zones. That’s where we’re going to be working on moving forward.”
The Bruins (0-4-1) are back in action on Thursday at the Civic Auditorium against the Weyburn Panther Drilling Wings (3-0-1), which the Black and Gold tied 7-7 on the road late last month. Lang said both teams match up against each other fairly evenly, so they’ll need to tighten their defensive zone coverage, move the puck through the neutral zone quickly and drive to the net to get the win.
“The little things are going to be the difference maker in that game,” he said, “and just staying disciplined and staying out of the penalty box.”
