A common refrain leading into the SJHL playoffs, in this corner and others, was that if the Estevan Bruins could just believe in their ability, go to the rink with confidence and play to their potential, they could make some noise.
Well, the Bruins woke up the entire SJHL with their play in Kindersley on Saturday and Sunday.
Last week in this space, I said the Bruins needed to get a split in Kindersley to give themselves a chance. They achieved that with Saturday's 2-1 victory, but they didn't stop there, overcoming a Klippers rally on Sunday to win 5-4.
Keith Cassidy may have said it best on Sunday night after his team took a 2-0 series lead: "It's a good thing that those that could do something about it believed it, saw it, and made it happen."
It's not as if the Bruins blew the Klippers out of their own rink. Both games were decided by one goal.
Game 1 was a classic, low-scoring, grind-it-out contest and the Bruins succeeded by playing a sound defensive game and limiting their mistakes.
In Game 2, the Bruins got off to a dream start, but a long stretch of power play time and some inspired hockey helped the Klippers get back in it. To the Bruins' credit, they responded the right way and got the winner in the third period to take a critical victory.
Calder Neufeld tore up the scoresheet on the weekend, in a microcosm of why many people are talking about the Bruins as a playoff darkhorse.
The Bruins have a scoring punch now that they didn't have before Christmas, thanks to the return of Dylan Smith at the trade deadline, the production of Dec. 1 pickup Alex Cote and Neufeld's return from a nagging ankle injury.
Add the fact that players like Cole Olson, Tyler Paslawski, Tanner Froese, Darcy DeRoose, Matt Brykaliuk and Taylor Reich are all capable of stepping up their production from their regular season numbers, and the Bruins' attack suddenly looks very dangerous.
If the club's play in the first two games is any indication, it could be a whole new ball game.
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It was a wonderful evening on Friday at the SJHL Hall of Fame induction ceremony. The best part might have been Alan May's speech, and the subsequent interview he did with local media.
You never know, when a guy makes the NHL and becomes the kind of big shot he is now on TV, whether he remembers where he came from.
But it couldn't have been more clear that May is proud to have played in Estevan, cherishes the memories and the people, and couldn't be happier to be inducted. He did a tremendous job and was a pleasure to speak with.
Congratulations to May, Ray Frehlick, Ron Dunville, Bruce Firth, Terry Simpson and the late Bill Shinske on being inducted and representing the SJHL with class.
Contact Josh Lewis at 634-2654 or [email protected]. How does Jay Feaster still have a job?
