Down 2-0 entering the third period, and with their season on the line, there didn’t appear to be much hope for the Power Dodge Estevan Bruins.
But two goals sent the game to overtime, and then Tanner Manz scored the biggest goal of his life.
Manz notched the winner 1:43 into the second overtime period to lift the Bruins to a 3-2 victory over the Humboldt Broncos in Game 5 of their Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League quarter-final series on Friday night at Affinity Place. Manz’s tally came just a few minutes prior to midnight.
“Their d-man shot the puck up ice, and I can remember that I just took it away, and made a move to the middle, backhanded it through the d-man’s legs, and it went in. That’s all I remember,” Manz said.
The Broncos still lead the best-of-seven series 3-2. Game 6 is Sunday afternoon in Humboldt.
The Broncos jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first period. Former Bruin Logan Foster scored for the third straight game to open the scoring, and four minutes later, Owen Guenter doubled the lead.
Neither team scored in the second, and the Bruins managed only a few quality scoring chances.
Turner Ripplinger notched his first of the playoffs 21 seconds into the third to pull the Bruins to within one.
Just over two minutes later, the game was halted due to a gouge in the ice in the Bruins zone. Fire extinguishers were needed to repair the damage. Both teams were sent back to their dressing rooms during the repairs, and the game was delayed for 50 minutes.
Once play resumed, Estevan had chances to tie the game, but it wasn’t until Jake Heerspink scored with less than three minutes to play in the third that the Bruins pulled even.
Neither team scored in the first overtime period, although the Bruins outshot their opponents 17-9.
Manz then scored the winner early in the second extra frame.
“We stuck to our game plan,” said Manz. “We had some adversity going down 2-0 in the game, but we battled back in the third period and did whatever it took to win.”
The Broncos are a hard team to play against, Manz said, but in the third, the Bruins were able to get the puck past their defence and jump on some Humboldt mistakes.
Grant Boldt made 42 saves for the victory, while Rayce Ramsay stopped 46 for Humboldt.
