The Estevan Westmoreland peewee AA Bruins beat the Melville Millionaires 5-3 at Affinity Place on Saturday, but they’re not happy with how they accomplished it.
“Today our kids came to the rink and thought it was going to be easy,” said Bruins coach Aren Miller. “We took pretty much the first 40 minutes off and then realized we were in a game.”
Neither team seemed able to generate much offence early with the Millionaires’ Tyler Powell earning the first good chance firing a wrist shot top corner 13 minutes into the game that Bruins netminder Talon Howie got a blocker on. Powell followed that up five minutes later springing Marshall Light on a rush down the middle where he wired the puck top corner from the hashmarks.
Bruins right wing James Mann tied the game 10:49 into the second period when he potted the puck into the low corner on a wraparound with the Black and Gold enjoying a man advantage. Kaden Chrest gave the home side a 2-1 lead 17 seconds later when Millionaires goalie Winston Grayson inadvertently knocked a cross-crease passing attempt into his net.
Millionaires leading scorer Tysune Brazeau then went to work notching his first of the afternoon 13:45 into the second period on a drive to the net where he deked blocker side before sliding the puck in low glove. Brazeau put Melville ahead with 1:29 remaining in the frame blocking a Bruins clearing attempt and slapping the puck into the top corner from just inside the blue line.
Chrest admitted the guys were tired on Saturday having played the Millionaires (2-7) twice already, 6-2 and 11-2 wins, in the previous 26 hours, but that’s no excuse for not showing up ready to play. He said they didn’t want to end the game the same way, so they came out strong and fired up in the third period.
Bruins left wing Ty Hoste had the first opportunity to tie the game 5:40 into the final stanza on a high shot from the hashmarks that Grayson made a shoulder save on. Mann got the equalizer three minutes later rifling the puck high short side off a drive down the wing before Chrest notched the game winner with 5:56 remaining.
“It was a rebound that (went) to my backhand and I shot it in,” said Chrest, who also scored the insurance marker for the hat trick with 2:02 remaining. “The goalie pulled it out, but the referee said it was in.”
Miller said the Bruins (5-1-1) won’t see any more action in the South Saskatchewan Minor Hockey League until a doubleheader on the road against the top-ranked Swift Current Southwest Terminal Broncos (8-0) on Dec. 3 and 4. He said they’ll be putting in a lot of practice on conditioning and sharpening their skills during the break, but the hope is they can also schedule an exhibition game or two during that time to keep the boys busy and fresh for their battle with the Broncos.
