The Estevan Westmoreland Coal peewee AA Bruins battled hard late in the third period in an attempt to tie the Moose Jaw Warriors at Affinity Place on Sunday, but couldn’t find the back of the net in the closing seconds of their 3-2 loss.
Mike Merriman, a co-coach of the Bruins, said Moose Jaw (4-8-3) and Estevan (7-6-1) are equally matched on the ice with both clubs featuring quality hockey players. He said the 3-2 loss on Sunday may have come down to the Bruins struggling in their own end, while also failing to garner enough shots on goal on the other side of the ice.
“We had power play opportunities, but we were playing on the fringe,” said Merriman. “We weren’t trying to get inside quick enough.”
Moose Jaw’s Caelan Fitzpatrick got the Warriors on the board a little over three minutes into the first period on their power play when he drove to the net and, after having his first two shot attempts blocked, beat Estevan netminder Layne Gilroy on the glove side. Despite enjoying three chances with the man advantage in the first period, the Bruins only managed to generate four shots total in the first 20 minutes on the Warriors’ net.
It only took Estevan 37 seconds into the second period to light the lamp thanks to an Adrien Riddell wraparound where he deposited the puck glove side on Warriors goaltender Jaxson Taupert. Both teams recorded chances on two power plays each to finish off the period, but neither hit pay dirt.
Fitzpatrick gave the Warriors the lead four minutes and 16 seconds into the final frame on a slapshot from the hashmarks that went low stick side on Gilroy. The Bruins' goaltender made a number of key saves to keep his team in the game, especially on a two-minute five-on-three advantage the Warriors enjoyed midway through the third, but he couldn’t stop Fitzpatrick’s hat trick goal with 8:49 left as he nabbed a deflection in front of the Estevan goal and roofed the puck short side into the top corner.
Estevan replied late in the game on a Turner McMillen wraparound while enjoying a six-on-three advantage with the goalie pulled at the 18:29 mark of the third, but that was as close as they would get.
“Both teams battled really hard,” said Warriors assistant coach Dylan McIntosh. “It really came down to who could put the puck in the net and we came out lucky. We worked hard for the two points, (but) they worked just as hard as we did.”
Merriman said the Bruins players should turn what they learned this game into strong practices this week as they prepare for a three games in five days stint that includes home dates against the Yorkton Terriers (2-9-2) this Saturday and Sunday. He said when the boys practise hard they play hard and that is needed moving forward from this loss.
“When you practise soft then you don’t play hard,” he said. “So it’s taking this disappointing feeling (from the loss) and putting it into practice with the full energy.”
