The Estevan Power Dodge Bruins 4-2 comeback win over the Flin Flon Bombers at Affinity Place on Sunday came down to one team competing for 60 minutes and another for 55.
“We knew they were going to be coming off four games in five nights, so they were going to be a little bit tired,” said Bruins goaltender Nathan Alalouf, who made 31 saves for his 12th win of the season. “We needed to get on them early, which we did in the first period. They snapped up a little bit and gave us a push in the second, but then we answered in the third and were able to get it done.”
The Bombers dug themselves an early hole against the Bruins taking a hooking penalty 20 seconds into the first period, which resulted in a Jake Fletcher power play marker a minute-and-a-half into the game. Flin Flon stepped up the pressure following the goal with left wing Connor Beebe potting the equalizer at the 9:15 mark on a shot from the wall near the goal line that snuck through Alalouf.
Penalty trouble continued to dog the Bombers through the rest of the opening 20 minutes, but the Bruins failed to execute on their many power play opportunities including a two minute five-on-three advantage late in the frame. The momentum seemed to shift in the second period when the Bruins found themselves on the wrong side of the referee’s calls for the majority of play, but a strong penalty kill that held the Bombers to mainly outside shots kept the away side at bay.
A Bruins penalty kill shortly into the third period didn’t have the same success thanks to Bombers leading scorer Greyson Reitmeier who picked up a failed Estevan clearing attempt, skated to the hash marks and fired a shot top corner glove side.
“I don’t think we were undisciplined today,” said Bruins head coach and general manager Chris Lewgood. “We took penalties, but I don’t think it was a matter of discipline. You’re going to get boarding calls where you’re just finishing a clean check and the guy goes (into the boards). Those things happen.”
The Bruins seemed to come back and tie the contest about five minutes after the Bombers goal when right wing Matt McNeil jammed a puck past Flin Flon goalie Zac Robidoux on a net crash, but it was ruled a post had come off its moorings before the puck crossed the line. Bruins centre Kaelan Holt buried another past Robidoux with nine minutes to play in the third period by swatting in a puck lying open in the crease only to have the goal ruled no good due to a quick whistle.
Josh Rieger finally got one that counted with 5:33 left in the frame by tipping in a Jayden Davis centering pass. Rieger potted the game winner just under four minutes later on a slap shot from the point through traffic.
“Four games in five nights are difficult, but there is no excuse for that,” said Bombers head coach and general manager Mike Reagan. “We had them beat with (six) minutes left and pissed it away. We did that last night (in a 3-2 loss to the Notre Dame Hounds). We had a lead going into the third and did the same thing. So, we got to learn from this and make sure we clean it up for the playoffs.”
Alalouf said the drive for the tying goal was simply a result of the team working together to achieve a desired result. He said once they got it, each of them knew they’d get the winner as well.
“The game was back and forth all day,” added Lewgood. “It was fairly evenly played. We planned on playing 60 minutes and our guys just stuck to it.”
