The usually heated Highway 39 rivalry seemed a bit one sided in the Saskatchewan Hockey Association (SHA) bantam A quarter-finals.
The Estevan bantam A Bruins knocked off the Weyburn JHC Hitmen 5-3 at Affinity Place on Friday to take the two-game total-point series 8-4 and book a date in the SHA semifinals against the Prairie Storm. The Bruins beat the Hitmen 3-1 in the first match of the series at Weyburn’s Crescent Point Place on Feb. 20.
“We just worked harder than them,” said Bruins captain Ben Wagstaff. “We outplayed them and we were more ready.”
The Black and Gold controlled the play from the start on Friday, but it was the Hitmen that had the best opportunity to score early. Weyburn’s Trey Sandiford earned the chance pushing off an Estevan defenceman at the top of the crease and attempting a backhand shot into a low corner that Bruins goalie Layne Gilroy managed to snag by sprawling across the net and corralling the puck with his paddle.
“I was just putting my stick out hoping I would stop it,” said Gilroy. “Luckily he didn’t shoot it over. I was lucky I got a save there.”
Bruins left wing Joel McKersie got the homeside on the board shortly after by picking up a pass from the half wall courtesy of Logan Ehrmantraut and blasting the puck past Hitmen goaltender Hudson Neuberger. Tayce Miller made it 2-0 halfway through the middle frame on a shot from the hashmarks just as a Bruins five-on-three man advantage expired.
Weyburn’s Brett Bowler got his team to within one 16 minutes into the second period by slapping a bouncing puck at the bottom of the circle past Gilroy. Bowler tied the match five minutes into the final stanza by popping the puck over the Bruins netminder from the top of the crease after receiving a saucer feed from Carson Field.
The Bruins’ Clay McKersie notched the go-ahead goal with less than 10 minutes remaining in the third period before Ehrmantraut potted the winner on a breakaway at the 14:36 mark. The Hitmen’s Tyler Domes and Bruins’ Cain Kruger exchanged goals in the final five minutes to complete the scoring.
“Our team actually played a little bit better this game, but I think I had a better game in the first one,” said Gilroy. “They got a lot more goals to keep us in it.”
Wagstaff said they’ve played a few tournaments before their quarter-final series against Weyburn, but they are still growing as a team. He said everyone is learning each other’s tendencies and strengths as the provincial championships progress and the club looks strong heading into the semifinals against the Prairie Storm.
“I think we can give them a run for their money if we give everything we’ve got,” said Wagstaff. “But, it’s definitely going to be tough.”
