The Estevan Apex Midget AA Bruins kept their momentum going in their South Saskatchewan Minor Hockey League (SSMHL) semifinal series opener with the Melville Millionaires.
Preston Audet and J.D. Gervais scored late in the second period to lift the Bruins to a 3-2 victory over the Millionaires on Sunday afternoon at Affinity Place.
Josh Skjonsby scored on a power play at the 6:20 mark of the first period to give the Bruins a 1-0 lead. But Liam Tittle responded with 4:24 to play in the first to tie the game.
The game remained tied at 1-1 until there was 5:19 left in the second period when Audet scored. Then Gervais picked up what proved to be the game-winning goal 2:32 later.
“I thought we had a good start, but then the end of the first wasn’t very good,” said coach Blake Jamieson. “Then it took us a while to get going in the second, but once those two chances went in, we seemed to be going a little better.”
The Bruins had chances to double the lead early in the third, with a two-man advantage for 1:40, but they couldn’t convert. Tittle notched his second of the game with 1:45 left in the third to pull the Mills to within one, and Melville have opportunities to tie the game, but couldn’t convert.
Bryson Garton stopped 23 of the 25 shots he faced to get the win. Dylan DeDecker made 21 saves for the Millionaires.
The win came four days after the Bruins routed the Notre Dame Hounds 8-2 in the fifth and deciding game of their first round series. Estevan won the final three games of that series after dropping the first two contests.
Jacob Palmer scored three times, including the series-winning goal 8:32 into the middle frame of Game 5. He also contributed three assists for a six-point game. Tristan Seeman, Cole Brooks, Daymon Wanner, Dawson Schaff and Skjonsby also scored.
Aidan Strangeway and Jackson Russell responded for Notre Dame.
Garton was in goal for the Bruins, while Aaron Lachance was the goalie for the Hounds.
Jamieson said he believes his team underestimated the Hounds.
“We weren’t playing up to our capability,” said Jamieson. “We had a team meeting after Game 2, and just decided that the boys had to go (hard).”
Garton also gave his teammates a lot of confidence with his play, Jamieson said. He allowed two goals in the last three games of the series.
Jamieson said it was critical to get off to a good start in the semifinal, after the start against Notre Dame.
“We definitely couldn’t take anybody lightly,” said Jamieson. “Nobody liked being in that situation, being down two games.”
Game 2 against Melville was slated for Tuesday night in Moosomin, but it was postponed to Friday in Estevan at 8 p.m. Game 3 is set for Saturday in Melville, and Game 4, if necessary, would be the following day, also in Melville. Game 5 is slated for Wednesday at Affinity Place at 6:30 p.m.
