The Estevan Bruins wrapped up their final road trip of the season by picking up one of their biggest wins this year.
The Bruins held on for a 6-5 victory over the Nipawin Hawks Saturday night in Nipawin in a fierce game that featured two fights and more than 100 penalty minutes.
Eddie Gallagher scored on a power play 2:42 into the first period to give the Bruins a 1-0 advantage; the Bruins would remain in the lead the rest of the night. Ryder Pierson’s goal midway through the first put Estevan up two after the first period.
Davis Chorney’s goal early in the second cut the Bruins lead in half, but Cody Davis and Gallagher scored power play goals 65 seconds apart to put Estevan up three.
Caden Benson scored for Nipawin to bring the Hawks back to within two, and then Davis and Jack Lenchyshyn traded goals before the period was finished.
Tyler Savage scored seven minutes into the third for the Bruins, but Andrew Schaab pulled the Hawks back to within two 80 seconds after Savage’s goal. Nipawin would get one more when Jeremy Bisson scored with 2:15 to play.
Keenan Rancier stopped 29 saves for the win.
The two teams combined for 137 minutes in penalties. Bruins defencemen Kersey Reich and Alex Von Sprecken were involved in fights with Nipawin opponents late in the second period.
Estevan (29-22-3-1) strengthened their grip on seventh place in the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League’s overall standings with 62 points, three ahead of the eighth place Humboldt Broncos. Both teams have three games remaining.
Estevan now sits just two points back of Nipawin for sixth overall; the Bruins have a game in hand on the Hawks.
The Bruins will be back on the ice Wednesday night when they visit the Notre Dame Hounds.
