For the second time in as many years, a controversial incident between the second and third period involving Tad Kozun was the impetus for a Nipawin Hawks comeback win over the CanElson Drilling Estevan Bruins.
After the buzzer sounded on the second period during Friday's game at Affinity Place, a scrum broke out and Bruins winger RT Rice received a match penalty for slashing Kozun.
Nipawin scored twice on the resulting five-minute major and went on to win 5-4 in a shootout, with Mikkel Joehnk scoring the winner in the sixth round.
Rice was suspended six games for the incident, though Bruins head coach Chris Lewgood had a different version of events and said the team has sent in video and filed an appeal.
"We're confident it will be overturned or reduced significantly," he said Monday.
Whereas the suspension was levied on the basis of Rice slashing Kozun in the head, Lewgood believes the contact was actually to the arm and had some strong words for Kozun.
"(The scrum) seemed to be over until Kozun threw Rice's helmet against the wall. Rice responds, and it was an undisciplined slash right to the elbow area. Being the type of player he is, Kozun immediately grabs for his face and starts kicking his feet like he'd been shot in the face by a sniper. Of course, the referees are going to bite on something like that," Lewgood said.
The Hawks took full advantage of the outcome, with Evan Mignault scoring from the right circle and Kozun ringing a shot off the iron and in 25 seconds later to tie the game 4-4. It was the second goal of the night for both players.
"That was definitely the breaking point," said rookie forward Keegan Allison, who scored in the second period for Estevan. "RT took that penalty, which he felt bad about and apologized to the guys after the game. I guess we didn't expect them to get two on that power play and tie the game up."
Lewgood said he was proud of his players for "not letting those two goals against dictate the way we played the third period."
The Bruins had opened the scoring seven minutes in on a Lynnden Pastachak goal, as he beat former Bruin Steven Glass on the doorstep. Glass and recently dealt defenceman Leighton McLachlan were making their first return to Estevan.
Mignault knotted the score at the 13:20 mark with his first of the game.
The Bruins got that one back a minute and a half later, with defenceman Kyle Bird scoring his first SJHL goal on a drop pass from Chris Thorimbert.
But Kozun would tie it again barely two minutes later, putting the puck past netminder Matt Gibney off the rush.
Estevan took a two-goal lead in the second period, getting goals from Allison and recently acquired rearguard Tanner Clark five minutes apart.
Allison tucked the puck past Glass in front at the 12:55 mark, and not long after that, Clark showed off his hands by deking Glass and slipping the puck in glove side.
"We kept cycling it, cycling it and I was out front and Hudson (Morrison) found me. I kinda fanned on the shot, but it slipped in," Allison said of his goal.
Although they had better results in the second period, Lewgood felt his team's play dropped off in the middle frame.
"Even though we outscored them in that period, I thought we were lucky to be ahead. They carried the play and we got caught watching the puck a little bit."
The Bruins outshot the Hawks 41-37, including an 18-8 edge in the second period.
"We skated hard, we did things the right way in the offensive zone. We played a pretty good game there. They're a team that relies heavily on their offence and we got caught playing their game a bit tonight," Lewgood said.
The Bruins' blue line got a big boost Friday, as stalwart rookie defender Nolan Nicholas returned from a shoulder injury that had kept him out since Oct. 4. They also got some bad news last week though, as backup goaltender Brett Lewchuk broke his thumb in practice and is expected to miss at least six weeks of action.
Meanwhile, forward Ben Johnstone continues to sit out with a shoulder injury.
The Bruins were set to host the Melville Millionaires last night and the Humboldt Broncos will come to town Saturday night. Game time is 7:30 p.m. at Affinity Place.
