For the Estevan TS&M Bruins, it all boiled down to one game, and it was not their night.
The club's season came to an end on Friday as they lost 7-2 to the Saskatoon Outlaws in the Saskatchewan Bantam AA Hockey League consolation final.
In an unusual format, the teams played just one game to decide the consolation title, and it was contested in Regina.
"The series was whittled down to a single, winner-take-all game and it didn't have that flavour of a real final," said Bruins head coach Tom Copeland.
There were several factors that resulted in not playing a full series. Copeland said the Saskatoon club didn't want to travel as far as Estevan, and the fact that midget AAA teams had begun their spring camps also worked against them.
Copeland said he wanted to have a best-of-three series, with the Bruins - who finished four points ahead of the Outlaws in the regular season - hosting a pair of games during the Strippers tournament this weekend.
"I thought we could've gotten some pretty good crowds during the Strippers tournament."
The Outlaws scored the first five goals of the game, with the Bruins finally getting on the board late in the second period.
"We just didn't show up in general. It could've been better. I think our interest level was low," Copeland said.
Goals from Mackenzie Walkington, Ethan Hill and Tyson Novakoski put the Outlaws ahead 3-0 after the first period, and Bailey Friesen extended their lead with two more in the second.
Preston Brodziak scored Estevan's first goal with two minutes left in the second period.
Brodziak's second of the night came two minutes into the third, but that was all the offence the Bruins would muster, as Saskatoon added two goals from Jake Chartier to put the game away.
Jeremy Dumaine and Ethan Veroba split the goaltending duties for the Bruins.
The Outlaws went 1-for-3 on the power play, while the Bruins were 0-for-3.
Copeland said he wasn't satisfied with the Bruins' finish this year, which saw them lose in the first round of the playoffs to the Melville Millionaires before moving to the consolation side.
"I think our expectations should've been higher. I certainly thought we could've at least made it into the second round. I think we were disappointed with that first round.
"At the end of the day, we're always going to be disappointed that we didn't win the league. That's what the expectation is. If we lower that standard, as coaches, we should be fired. There's no reason the kids in and around Estevan shouldn't be able to do that."
Copeland said he and his coaching staff have learned from their experiences this year and are optimistic about applying those things with next year's team if they are selected to coach the club again.
