The strides the Estevan TS&M bantam AA Bruins have made this season were on full display in their 4-2 loss to the Saskatoon Stallions at Affinity Place on Saturday, but the areas that still need work got a showcase as well.
Tom Copeland, head coach of the Bruins, said special teams made the big difference in the defeat. He said they’re trying to reinvent their penalty kill which has been poor up to this point, but a bit of confusion with a man down early in the third period allowing the Stallions best offensive player in Cohner Saleski to go to work did them in.
“We had more power plays than they did too, so we need to bury a couple of pucks,” said Copeland. “But I’ve said it to a couple of people if we get better on our penalty kill we’re going to win more hockey games.”
The Stallions and Bruins exchanged chances at the beginning of the game with Estevan’s top line of Cale Adams, Josh Romanyk and Chase Gedak providing a strong attack for the home side. However, it was the tandem of Saleski and Warner Bristow who capitalized first with the latter depositing the puck high blocker side on Bruins netminder Zane Winter off a two-man break about 15 minutes into the frame.
Stallions forward Boston Maxwell made it 2-0 a little over two minutes into the second period on a slap shot from the blueline before Bruins left wing Cody Davis brought his team back to within one on a quick shot from the slot off an offensive zone faceoff late in the stanza.
The Stallions power play then capitalized on their opportunities to put the match out of reach with two quick markers by Logan Gable and Saleski early in the third period. Davis fired his second goal past Stallions goalie Carter Seryhenko with six minutes remaining to make the final 4-2.
“We have had six broken arms, two cracked collarbones and a concussion and we’ve been short all year,” said Stallions coach Ward Edwards, whose team moved to 9-11 with the victory. “Anytime we get a win, especially in a place like Estevan on the road, a tough place to win, we’re very happy.”
Copeland said they’ve played the majority of their games this season on the road and against teams from the Saskatchewan Bantam AA Hockey League’s tough North Division. He said the schedule gets a bit friendlier for the Bruins (5-12-3) from here on as they’ll play at home more often and against teams from their own South Division giving the club a chance to gain some ground in the standings. The Bruins began that charge with a 5-1 win over the Melville Millionaires (2-8-0-1) on Sunday at Affinity Place.
“We had a tough December,” said Copeland. “We played in Prince Albert, we played in Saskatoon, it was just a brutal schedule, but it made these kids better players. Tomorrow we better see a really good process and (then) for the rest of the season. We still can finish top five in our division and that’s exactly what we’ll do. I look forward to it. We’ve got six weeks to go.”
