YORKTON, SK — Thomas Ries scored the go-ahead goal with just 3.3 seconds remaining as the Yorkton Terriers stunned the Estevan Bruins 5–4 at home, extending their winning streak to five games.
The opening frame saw the Terriers’ special teams get them off on the right foot. Jye Zawatsky undressed a Bruins defender with a slick toe drag before ripping home his 20th of the season past Nathan Kam.
Estevan responded a few minutes later when Bennett Muller fired a shot from just inside the blue line. Callum Creig got a large piece of it, but the puck trickled through to tie the game.
The Bruins added another shortly after to grab their first lead of the night, as Drew Beasley scored his fifth of the season.
Yorkton carried the play for much of the period, outshooting Estevan 17–11 through the opening twenty minutes.
In the middle frame, the Bruins and Terriers traded goals once again.
After a Tyler Palin point shot was blocked in front, the puck fell right to Aidan Vallance, who snapped home his ninth of the campaign past Kam to knot the game at 2–2.
Estevan answered by capitalizing on a poor Terrier line change, as Nathaniel Harvey jammed a loose puck past Creig to restore the Bruins’ lead.
Yorkton continued to apply pressure in the second, firing another 17 shots in the stanza.
The Terriers pulled even early in the third period when Thomas Ries dashed end-to-end and buried his 12th of the season.
Estevan wrestled the lead back as Oliver Kramp split the Terriers’ defence and beat Creig high glove for a 4–3 advantage. Yorkton had an answer just 30 seconds later, as Vallance carried the puck into the offensive zone and dropped it to Cash Lanigan, who beat Kam for his 13th of the year. Lanigan capped off a monster night, finishing with a goal and three assists.
Then, in the final seconds—just as it appeared the game was headed for overtime—Ries had other ideas. Vinay Junek threw the puck to the net, and Ries jammed it through the legs of Kam to send Terriers Nation into a frenzy and seal the dramatic victory.
The Terriers will be right back in action tomorrow night in Melville as the Battle of Highway 10 is renewed.
