The Estevan Blue Rock junior midget Bruins recently gained the edge in their best-of- three final against Weyburn, when they beat them 10-6 at Affinity place on March 22.
It wasn’t easy for the Bruins to advance to final. They lost 7-3 to the Regina Blues on March 18 and in Game 3 of that series they completed a comeback in overtime to win 5-4 on March 20.
In Game 1 of the final, Estevan jumped to a 5-1 lead in the first period.
Preston Audet scored a minute into the game to put the Bruins up 1-0. Wyatt Haux had the assist. Fifty five seconds later, Preston Brodziak lit the lamp.
Estevan continued to score, as Shae Little netted one. Haux again contributed with the assist. Wyburn got on the board to make it 3-1, but Estevan scored another two in the period to extend their lead. Audet and Brodziak had the goals, and Hunter Piche and Derian Pratt had the assists.
In the second, Weyburn scored two straight goals to make the score 5-3. The Bruins didn’t let up as they answered back with three straight goals of their own.
Garrett Mehler had the first goal for Estevan of the period, and Haux, Zach Holzer and Keaten Tarnes connected to put the Bruins up by four.
Audet beat the goaltender for the final goal of the period. Brodziak assisted the play.
In the final period, Estevan scored twice, two minutes into the game.
Piche scored the first goal of the second and Zach Holzer had the second tally of the period. Brodziak and Daylin Cherwenuk had the helpers.
Weyburn scored three straight goals to finish the game, but it wasn’t enough to overcome the Bruins.
Despite scoring 10 goals, coach Sabe Holzer says it concerns him that they surrendered six goals.
“If we give up six goals the next game we may not win that game, we got to be careful there,” he said.
In Game 3 of the semifinals, the Bruins trailed 4-1 after two periods.
Early in the third, Piche cut the lead in half. Brodziak and Tarnes had the assists. Midway throughout the period, Estevan pulled within one when Audet, from Piche and Brodziak, lit the lamp.
Brodziak scored the game tying goal to force the game into overtime. In the extra period Audet scored his second of the game to win it Estevan.
Holzer said it was an exciting game but the score was closer than he would have liked to see it.
The Bruins play Game 2 of the Series in Weyburn on March 28. If necessary, Game 3 will be played the following day at Affinity Place, at 7 p.m.
