The Estevan Apex midget AA Bruins season came to an end on Friday night in a 6-1 loss to the Swift Current Broncos at Affinity Place.
Swift Current swept the best-of-five series in three straight games.
The Broncos were up by a goal after the first period, but Estevan outshot them 9-7, and hit a couple of posts, too. It remained a one-goal game until midway through the second, when the Broncos scored three times in less than three minutes to pull away.
Swift Current added to the lead with a goal 4 1/2 minutes into the third period. Estevan notched their first of the game with less than 10 minutes to play in the third on a goal by Tayce Miller, but Swift Current finished the scoring with an empty net goal with 5:10 remaining.
Morgan Wanner was in goal for Estevan.
“They’re a very good team from top to bottom,” said Bruins head coach Riley Hengen. “They play a very structured system, which we had trouble with in Games 2 and 3. And even in the three games in the regular season, we couldn’t get a lot of offence going against those guys.”
Hengen said they needed the puck to bounce the right way against a team like the Broncos.
“It was the same in Game 1 up there (in Swift Current),” said Hengen. “We had a good game. We forced it into overtime. Had a chance or two in overtime, but just couldn’t get that bounce. If we pick up a win in that Game 1, the series would be a whole new ball game, seeing how those guys react to a loss.”
The Broncos have not lost a game in 42 regular season and postseason games.
Hengen, who won a league title with the midget AA Bruins in 2006-07, is amazed that Swift Current is still undefeated.
Seven players will graduate from the midget AA Bruins this year. Twelve are eligible to return, but Hengen expects some of them will play midget AAA next season.
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Also on Friday night, the South East midget AA Goldwings dropped a 5-3 decision to the Regina Rebels in Midale in Game 1 of the best-of-three Saskatchewan Female Hockey League midget AA South Division final.
Khloe Bedore scored 3:51 into the first period to give the Goldwings an early 1-0 lead, but the Rebels tallied twice before the period was up for a 2-1 advantage.
The two teams traded goals in the second, with Bedore scoring for the Goldwings early in the frame to tie the game, but the Rebels responded a couple of minutes later.
The Rebels scored again midway through the third for a two-goal advantage. Bedore’s third of the game pulled the Goldwings to within one, but the Rebels would add an empty net goal with 11 seconds to play.
Taryn McKinney was in goal for the Goldwings.
The two teams will meet again Wednesday night in Regina. The Goldwings need to win to keep their season alive.
