Even with a new coach and a litany of new players, sometimes it takes time to get rid of old habits.
The Estevan Bruins looked like they were on their way to a 2-0 start to the SJHL season on Friday in their home opener against the Melville Millionaires.
Having beaten the Mils 4-2 the night before, the Bruins led 3-0 halfway through the third period when a familiar foe we'll call the late collapse reared its ugly head.
Anyone who watched their share of games last year knows the story, or a version of it: Melville scored three times in 10 minutes, then took it in overtime.
The Bruins played a great first period Friday and were rewarded with another strong night from new captain Tanner Froese.
That changed in the second though. The ice seemed tilted at times as the Millionaires dominated possession and should have had at least a couple of goals, except that Matt Gibney was there to stop them.
Indeed, Gibney was the star of the night for the Bruins, stopping 35 shots. The overtime winner went off a defenceman and there was little he could do on that one.
We'll likely see plenty of different combinations yet as players move in and out of the lineup, but one of the encouraging things for the Bruins Saturday was the play of their top two lines.
Froese responded to being given the C by coming out on fire, with six points in two games, and the Bruins need him to continue being a primary source of offence.
Austin Daae could have a big year, and he looked dangerous against the Mils, playing well alongside Froese. Corey Kosloski has been nothing but impressive since training camp, and while I don't see him sticking on the first line, he brought a mix of skill and grit to that unit.
The second line of Darcy DeRoose, Hudson Morrison and Ben Johnstone also brought it on Friday. DeRoose and Morrison developed pretty good chemistry last year, and DeRoose is off to a solid start; it's only a matter of time until Morrison follows suit. Johnstone opens up space for them with his physical game and is no slouch offensively either.
The Bruins will get Wyatt Garagan back soon -he was day-to-day entering last night's game against Melfort - and Lynnden Pastachak should be back within 10 days. Those two will add a lot to the forward corps in their own ways.
On the back end, rookie Nolan Nicholas and sophomore Zach Douglas formed the Bruins' best pairing in the home-and-home set. Nicholas looked remarkably composed and consistent for a rookie and will make a real impact if he keeps that up. Douglas played a sound two-way game.
It's a very long season but, as the 2012-13 Bruins found out, a bad start can doom you, so it's important that the club rebounds from Friday's breakdown.
Contact Josh Lewis at 306-634-2654 or [email protected]. Let's see what John Scott's face looks like when he has to deal with Colton Orr and Frazer McLaren on Nov. 15.
