The CanElson Drilling Estevan Bruins head into their home-and-home series with the rival Weyburn Red Wings this week hungry and well rested, but a few key players will have to begin the New Year in the press box.
The Bruins (17-16-0-1) travel to the Crescent Point Energy Place tonight to face the Viterra Division leading Red Wings (22-7-2-3) after enjoying nine days of rest since their last game, a 5-3 road loss to the SJHL leading Battlefords North Stars (25-9-1-2) at the North Battleford Civic Centre on Dec. 20. Estevan will then host Weyburn on Jan. 1 in an afternoon tilt at Affinity Place.
Chris Lewgood, head coach and general manager of the Bruins, said veteran centre Keaton Longpre is still out of action with a knee injury he suffered against the Red Wings Dec. 12, while backup goaltender Nathan Alalouf is also expected to miss some time after going down with a lower body injury against the North Stars. He said high-scoring rightwinger Owen LaClare and steady defenceman Charles Manley may also miss some time due to various bumps and bruises.
The road loss to Battlefords was a display of how badly the team was ailing heading into the Christmas break. A number of key players didn’t finish the game, many played through it with nagging injuries and one more, Alalouf, was forced to leave the game near the end of the second period.
“We definitely (needed) the rest,” said Lewgood. “I think it’s just enough time for some of these guys to come back healthy and ready to go.”
