The Estevan Westmoreland Coal peewee AA Bruins quest for a league championship came to an end on Monday night in Swift Current. The Bruins lost 5-1 to the Swift Current Broncos in Game 2 of the best-ofthree South Saskatchewan Minor Hockey League (SSMHL) final. Swift Current claimed Game 1 5-4 at Affinity Place two days earlier. Game 1 saw the Bruins race out to a 4-1 lead by the six-minute mark of the first period. Carson Birnie scored for Estevan 8:51 into the first period, but Kane Klassen responded eight seconds later to tie the game. Keegan Merriman’s goal with 83 seconds left in the first restored the Bruins advantage. Kaden Chrest scored 70 seconds into the second period, and Merriman’s second of the
game at the 5:36 mark of the middle frame upped the lead to three. But goals by the Broncos Kalan Lind, Anthony Wilson and Jaydon Jessiman tied the game before the end of the second. Coach Aren Miller said the second period of Game 1 was the turning point in the series. “They have too much skill up front to give them any kind of breakdowns on our part,” said Miller. “We had to make them earn every goal, and unfortunately we just couldn’t do that. Most of their goals in the whole series were just off of our mistakes.” Brady Wilson scored what proved to be the winning goal with 12:43 to play in the third period. Lind scored twice in the first 12 minutes of the game to give the Broncos a 2-0 lead. Mason Kukura scored with 7:38 remaining in the first to pull the Bruins to within one, but Brady Wilson’s goal 1:49 later re
stored Swift Current’s lead. Jessiman and Anthony Wilson added goals in the first 2:18 of the second. “Then we decided to buckle down and the kids played really well the rest of the game,” said Miller. “We just couldn’t get a break and couldn’t get a goal.” Jackson Miller was in goal for both games for Estevan. Estevan had the second-best record in the league during the regular season at 17-7-1. Swift Current was first at 24-1, although their one loss was against Estevan back in December. “It was clear from the start of the year that Swift Current was going to be the team to beat, and we planned, hopefully, that we would be there to give them a run for their money,” said Miller. “I thought we gave them everything they could handle in Game 1, and unfortunately tonight (in Game 2) we weren’t at
our best.” Swift Current’s top players play big minutes, and it shows, he said, because they just kept coming throughout the series. Miller praised the Bruins players for buying into the team’s system from the outset of the season. “Our goaltending was great all year, our defence
improved a lot throughout the year and our forwards were good,” said Miller. “We had a good mix.” The coaches pushed the players hard and the practices are tough, but when the players enjoyed success early in the year, they realized the importance of a good work ethic. “It’s just unfortunate
we ran into a really good Swift Current team,” said Miller. Miller expects the experience of this season to pay dividends in the future. Four players – Talon Howie, Nathan Wagstaff, Ty Hoste and Birnie – are eligible to return next season. The rest of the players will graduate to bantam.
