Terriers Edged By The Bruins
Photo Credit: Simple Shots By Jackie Yorkton’s four game point streak was snapped at the hands of the Estevan Bruins, after a 3-2 loss to their Viterra Division rivals. Steven Norum and Erik Boers had a goal apiece, while Kael DePape stopped 25 shots, including some highlight reel saves.
Estevan opened the scoring early in the first period. Mark Rumsey picked up a feed from Caelan Fitzpatrick, before storming around Reagan Sweeney and picking the top corner for his league leading 36th goal this season. The Bruins looked to extend their lead on the power-play late in the first. However, on a beautiful passing play, DePape went full stretch to rob Eric Pearce with the left pad, to keep it a 1-0 game after 20 minutes of play.
Estevan extended their lead in the second period. A bouncing puck landed in the slot in front of DePape, where Erik Houk collected the biscuit and fired it over the shoulder of the Yorkton net-minder to make it 2-0. Terriers cut into the Estevan lead on the power-play. A dump in by Erik Boers ricocheted off the zamboni door to the side of the Estevan net, where the St. Albert, Alberta product jammed the puck past the pad of Cam Hrdlicka. For Boers, it was his 13th goal of the year, making it 2-1. Estevan regained their two goal lead before the end of the period. A loose puck came to Zach Burfoot in the left face-off circle, and the Estevan wired it off a body in front of DePape to make it 3-1 Bruins.
Some controversy in the third period put this game on edge. The Bruins thought they had a three goal lead on the power-play, when Dayton Deics unleashed a shot from the point through the slot, where it appeared to go in the net. However, the referee quickly waved it off and play continued, leading to Norum flying down the left wing into Estevan’s zone, letting a backhander go, which beat Hrdlicka. Instead of it being a 4-1 Estevan lead, the game read 3-2 Bruins. The Terriers pressed for an equalizer, and in the dying seconds, Kishaun Gervais had an opportunity to steer the puck into an empty Estevan cage. However, Nolan Jones brought down the Yorkton captain, preserving the Bruin victory.
With the loss, combined with a La Ronge win over Melville that night, Yorkton falls to 7th place in the SJHL, six point clear of Notre Dame who sits in 9th place. Yorkton will face the La Ronge Ice Wolves on Friday at the Westland Insurance Arena. The game will be broadcast on the GX 94 online only stream, with the pre-game show starting at 7:20pm and play-by-play kicking off at 7:30pm.