Winning two straight games over a bitter rival is always gratifying, and for the CanElson Drilling Estevan Bruins, it was a strong start to their post-Christmas schedule.
The Bruins (17-13-2-3) edged the Weyburn Red Wings 3-2 in overtime on Dec. 30, then returned home on New Year's Day and won 5-4 in a shootout.
"That's a good team, don't let the standings fool you. Weyburn's a good hockey team and to win two against them is good," Bruins head coach Chris Lewgood said of the Wings, who occupy the SJHL basement.
The Bruins got the win the hard way on Wednesday, blowing a 4-1 lead in the third period.
Lewgood said that although the contest was "one of our better efforts," the third-period breakdown was unacceptable.
Former Red Wing Austin Roesslein scored the winner in the sixth round of the shootout.
"It felt pretty good. I always feel like I get up more for the games against Weyburn just so I can prove something," said Roesslein, acquired from the Wings earlier this season.
Lewgood said he initially didn't want to use Roesslein in the shootout because of the pressure against his old team, but after seeing an opening in Wings goalie Jack Burgart's play earlier and knowing the move Roesslein would try, he changed his mind.
"He's just such a gutsy performer, whether it's working in the corners or in a situation like that. The kid always seems to come through with the upper hand. So, so glad we have Rozzy on our side, and he's not in the red sweater."
The 20-year-old centre also broke the ice less than five minutes into the second period.
"(Lynnden Pastachak) was driving down low, fighting in the corners and then (Keegan Allison) came up and gave me a great pass in the slot and I fired it home. I think I got lucky, I think it squeaked by the goalie," Roesslein said.
The Bruins took a commanding lead with two more goals in the period.
Five minutes later, fellow ex-Wing Corey Kosloski made it 2-0 and Chris Thorimbert got his first SJHL goal later on a breakaway.
The Wings got on the board late, with Matt Eng diving toward the net to put a loose puck past Bruins netminder Matt Gibney.
Barely a minute into the third, captain Tanner Froese boosted the Bruins' cushion to three, hammering a shot home from just inside the blue line on a power play.
Weyburn's comeback began only 16 seconds later on a goal by Jacob Jeske.
Jon Brumwell got the Wings within a goal later, and captain Josh Lees tied it with less than seven minutes to go, beating Gibney off the rush.
"You never like to give up a lead in the third period, obviously, but it happens. The fact that we were able to stay the course and show the character and come out on top, it says a lot about the guys in our room," Lewgood said.
"I don't think it was a matter of sitting back as much as poor decision-making and poor execution."
Shots on goal were 42-41 for the Wings.
Four different players scored for the Bruins, and three of them came from sources other than leading scorers Froese and Austin Daae.
Lewgood said it was encouraging to see some secondary scoring.
"We need to win games, and if Froese and Daae are the only guys who score goals for the rest of the year and we win games, I'm fine with that, but realistically, we need more guys to step up and today was a little better."
Daae is now the SJHL scoring leader with 23 goals and 44 points through 35 games. He sits three points ahead of Yorkton's Tayler Thompson.
Daae was the hero two nights earlier, scoring twice, including the overtime winner in Weyburn.
Wings forward Shain Scheschuk opened the scoring less than three minutes in, with the Bruins tying it early in the second on a Daae power play marker.
Kosloski gave Estevan the lead less than a minute later. Tyler Borstmayer scored shorthanded 55 seconds into the third to tie it.
Daae's winner came with 28 seconds left in overtime.
Shots on goal were even at 32 each.
Meanwhile, the SJHL trade deadline is on Friday and Lewgood said he's looking to add if the price is right.
Although he's happy with the club's depth at centre and left wing, he identified a second line left winger as the team's top priority.
"We'd like to (add) but we're not going to mortgage our future to bring players in," Lewgood said.
He added that the team might also add a depth defenceman, although blue liners aren't going for cheap right now.
"We would be willing to look at adding a depth guy, (but) I think we're pretty comfortable with our own end."
Lewgood said Monday there hadn't been much activity up to that point.
"It's more window shopping," he said. "I think that's on account of the parity, nobody's really selling."
The Bruins are back in action tonight as they host the Notre Dame Hounds at 7:30 p.m. at Affinity Place. They visit Weyburn on Saturday and Notre Dame on Sunday.
