The CanElson Drilling Estevan Bruins forced Game 5 in the survivor series against the Battlefords North Stars by defeating them 3-2 on March 10 at Affinity Place.
Charles Manley scored the go-ahead goal for the Bruins in the third, with Lynnden Pastachak picking up the assist to extend the series.
Battleford jumped to a 1-0 lead in the opening frame and the Bruins responded later in the period, when on the power play, RT Rice lit the lamp. Jason Duret and Kurt Sonne had the assists.
The shots were nine a piece for both clubs and the score was knotted at one after a period of play.
Estevan pulled ahead early in the third when Zach Douglas and Nolan Nicholas hooked up to put the Bruins up 2-1.
Shortly after a Bruin penalty, the North Stars were driving, and when they scored, the puck looked like it went off of a glove of a Battleford player. According to the referee it went off the stick and in.
“I really trust the referee … and he was in good position. He said that it was stick and it was below the cross bar, and that’s all I have to go on,” said head coach Chris Lewgood.
Lewgood was impressed with the effort his team gave in the win-or-go-home situation.
Before the game he told his team to leave it all on the ice because there was nothing to save it for.
“The bottom line was we have to be better. We took steps in the right direction, and we just have to make sure we address some of the break downs,” Lewgood said after Tuesday’s game. “It’s not enough to play the game hard or smart, you have to play hard and smart, and we did that a little more today, and I think we have more yet,”
The Bruins play Game 5 of the series on March 12 in North Battleford.
