I’ve had some pretty cool experiences since coming to Estevan nearly 18 years ago.
But one thing I wanted, but never had, was an extended playoff run for the Power Dodge Estevan Bruins. Yes, there was the 2016 Western Canada Cup in Estevan when the Bruins were the home team, but the club was eliminated in the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League quarter-finals.
The longest playoff run would have been in 2004-05, when the Bruins were the top-ranked team in the country at Christmas, but eventually lost in Game 7 of the Sherwood Conference Final to the Yorkton Terriers at the old Civic Auditorium.
I no longer cover the team, but you can imagine how enjoyable the lengthy playoff run was this year.
Obviously, it would have been nice to see the Bruins pull out one more win, and knock off the favoured Nipawin Hawks in Game 7 of the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League final.
The two teams played more than 225 minutes of hockey over the course of seven games and 12 days, and it came down to one goal.
The Bruins might have dropped Game 7, but they have nothing to be ashamed of. They should be proud of how they played in the playoffs this year.
They were a team that didn’t win more than four straight during the regular season, but they rattled off seven straight victories to start the playoffs. They knocked off the defending SJHL champions, the Battlefords North Stars, in five games, scoring 29 goals in the process. Battlefords had eliminated the Bruins three times in the last four years.
And the North Stars finished 13 points ahead of the Bruins in the regular season.
As for the final, the Hawks were 20 points clear of the Bruins in the regular season, and lost eight games in regulation during 58 regular season games. The Bruins beat them three times in regulation in the final. They showed they were Nipawin’s equal.
It was great hockey.
But it wasn’t just the hockey that was great. The community threw their support behind the team early on.
You could tell fans in the Estevan area knew the club had something special when 1,700 fans showed up for Game 3 against the Battlefords. More than 1,900 fans were there in Game 4.
All three games against the Hawks were sold out, with more than 2,660 fans present each night. Game 6 sold out in 30 minutes.
For a non-profit, community-owned team, a playoff run like this represents a considerable windfall. The ticket sales, the 50-50 sales and the merchandise sales make a huge difference to the bottom line.
This playoff run will certainly translate to increased season ticket sales for next season, and it will make it easier for the Bruins to recruit players for the 2018-19 season.
This isn’t going to be a one-and-done team. They have the potential to have a great team again next season.
We had some fun in the Mercury office, too. Sports reporter Corey Atkinson and I showed our support for the team by growing playoff beards throughout the postseason. Of course, mine turned out better, even though I gave Atkinson a one-week head start. Red hair trumps the multiple colours found in Corey’s beard.
We’ve seen how hockey can help after the tragic Humboldt Broncos bus crash. The bus crash hit hard locally, as Broncos head coach and general manager Darcy Haugan and assistant coach Mark Cross played with the Bruins, and Haugan was an assistant coach here. There were a lot of tears shed locally when we found out these two men were among those killed.
Many of the players on both teams knew at least one person who died or was seriously injured in that crash.
There was discussion as to whether this final should even be played. But to quote the Broncos organization, “The power of healing is in the game.”
Once the games resumed, the Bruins and the Hawks played with the intensity and passion that you would expect from a final.
The two teams also showed their support for the Broncos with fundraisers. Bruin logos with the green and gold Humboldt colours have been prevalent in recent weeks. The 50-50 for Game 3 of the league final in Estevan raised more than $25,000 for the Broncos coaches’ fund.
The last six weeks have been memorable for the Bruin players, organization, fans and the community as a whole.
Thanks Bruins. Be proud.
Hopefully another long run can happen again soon.
