The Bruins went into a three-game road trip over the weekend looking for six points, but they finished on Sunday settling for four.
The Bruins were 2-1 on the weekend road trip, losing the opening game 6-3 to the Battlefords North Stars (22-14-6-1) before beating the La Ronge Ice Wolves (14-22-3-4) 3-2 in a shootout and the Humboldt Broncos (16-21-5-0) 4-3 in overtime.
Head coach Chris Lewgood was happier with the team’s play in the latter part of the weekend, but said at this time of year, nobody can take a night off.
He said the Bruins aren’t looking for moral victories at this stage of the game. They need points. They currently sit third in the Viterra Division, and with two fewer games left than both Weyburn and Melville, who sit a few points ahead in the division, time is running out to improve their position.
“The moral victories and lessons learned are good for the first part of the year, but this time of the year we need points. We need wins, and coming out on top is so important,” said Lewgood.
The Bruins opened their road trip on Friday with the first goal against the North Stars. At the midway mark of the first period, Ryan Duret gave the Bruins a lead that would be short lived. Two minutes later, Matthew Saharchuk tied it and before the period ended, the North Stars took the lead with a power play goal.
Tyler Gutenberg got the start for the Bruins.
Keegan Allison got the Bruins back to even six minutes into the second, but again, the North Stars scored an answering goal shortly after. Jordan Townsend pulled Battlefords to a 4-2 lead before the end of the second.
The Bruins had another hot start in the third when Charles Manley got them to within one. Like the previous two goals the Bruins scored, the North Stars answered in definitive fashion. Less than a minute later, Townsend scored again to add an insurance marker.
Bryce Hall rounded out the scoring for the North Stars with less than 10 minutes to play, putting the Bruins away with a three-goal cushion.
“I don’t believe we played to our potential this weekend. Especially Friday’s game, there was a little bit of an expectation that someone else was going to do the work, and as individuals, I think, everyone has to take ownership of that,” said the head coach.
Heading into La Ronge, Tyler Fuhr was between the posts and stopped 27 of 29 shots going all three periods, five minutes of overtime and turning away another four of five shooters in the shootout.
Bruins defenceman Jake Tesarowski scored his first goal of the season just 1:41 into the game against the Ice Wolves. That goal was assisted by Keaton Longpre and Keegan Allison. The Bruins wouldn’t score again until the third.
Before that would happen, Jared Iron and Tyler Pickett gave La Ronge a 2-1 lead in the second period.
Defenceman Zach Douglas would tie the game for the Bruins early in the third, and the teams remained tied through 65 minutes.
As the first shooters, Douglas and La Ronge’s Joel Blacquiere each potted goals in the shootout, which would go another three full rounds before Chase McKersie put it away for the Bruins.
The following evening in Humboldt, the Bruins found themselves in a hole in the first. Jarrett Fontained scored a shorthanded goal for the Broncos less than three minutes into the period, and that was followed up by Trevor Posch’s power play goal 10 minutes later.
“On Saturday, and better yet, on Sunday, I thought Sunday’s game was overall a good effort,” said Lewgood, noting the team came out a little slow. “As the weekend went along, we seemed to get more life. Going forward we need to play that way more consistently.”
McKersie got the Bruins on the board just 28 seconds into the second, and Lynnden Pastachak posted his ninth of the year to tie the game six minutes later.
In the third the Broncos regained their lead, but with less than eight minutes to go, Kurt Sonne notched a power play marker to tie the game and eventually send the two teams to overtime.
Two minutes into the overtime period, the Broncos were called for too many men on the ice. That proved to be the opportunity the Bruins needed to get their first lead and the only one in the game that mattered.
A little more than a minute into the power play, RT Rice scored the game winner, with assists going to Manley and Allison.
Tyler Fuhr was in goal for the win as the Bruins outshot the Broncos 27-20.
The Bruins next home game is tonight at Affinity Place against the Flin Flon Bombers. Puck drop is 7:30.
