Despite a slow start and shaky 90 seconds to open up the third period, the CanElson Drilling Estevan Bruins found a way to beat the Nipawin Hawks 5-3 in a come-from-behind win at Affinity Place on Saturday.
After Bruins defenceman Zach Douglas and Hawks forward Garrett Dunlop exchanged markers in the second period, Nipawin jumped ahead 3-1 early in the third. Eric Bolden first netted a powerplay goal off a cross-ice feed from Evan Mignault 57 seconds into the frame, which was followed by a short-side snapshot by Jake Gerbner that somehow found a way between Bruins netminder Daniel Wapple and the post 33 seconds later.
“The guys were playing good the whole way through,” said Bruins assistant coach Aren Miller. “Obviously, (Wapple) lets that one in and there was some comments on the bench that he’s made some big saves for us, let’s get a couple back for him. And that is exactly what happened.”
With the Bruins enjoying a man advantage opportunity, Braden Oleksyn found the back of the net a little under four minutes into the third by poking a rebound past Hawks goalie Kristian Stead. Oleksyn tied it up at threes four-and-a-half minutes later on a net drive, before Douglas put the home side up for good with around eight minutes remaining on a powerplay point shot that found the low corner stick side. Oleksyn then recorded the first Bruins’ hat trick of the season into an empty net with a little over a minute remaining in the game.
“We battled hard all game long,” said Oleksyn. “We fought through some adversity. Even when we were down 3-1 early in the third all of the boys knew with our depth and how we play the game we were never out of it and if we battled hard we were going to come back. We knew that game was ours and we just kept persevering.”
Miller said the Bruins were facing several distractions off the ice on the weekend including a parent and billet commemoration and jersey auction, so there was concern they wouldn’t be able to flip the switch come game time against both the La Ronge Ice Wolves (24-21-3-3), who the Bruins beat 4-3 at home on Friday, and the Hawks (31-17-2-1). He said that showed itself against Nipawin in their sluggish start, but the team was able to come together in the second and third to get the win.
With the victories, the sixth-place Bruins (28-19-0-3) move five points up on the seventh-place Ice Wolves and within six points of the fourth place Hawks. The top six teams in the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League standings at the end of the season bypass the first round survivor series.
“Every point right now is massive in the standings and in the seating,” said Miller. “Also you want to be on a roll going into the playoffs. You don’t want to be a top team limping your way into the playoffs. You want to be peaking at the right time. I think we’re working towards that, so these four points are huge.”
