The Power Dodge Estevan Bruins rode into the Thanksgiving weekend in a stingy mood.
They were the first team to hand the Melfort Mustangs – previously ranked #3 in the CJHL – a loss this season after a 3-2 decision at Affinity Place Friday night. The win set the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League team in an ebulient mood heading into the weekend.
“They were big, they were fast, they were strong and they knew how to play their system,” said defenceman Johnny Witzke of the Mustangs. “Which made it even harder. They have a lot of skill. I just think our defensive effort tonight was outstanding. We kept them to the outside, kept their point shots where we could see them and take them away. It was a good effort on defence and it showed in the score.”
Witzke didn't get any points but controlled the play from the blueline and helped the Bruins keep the shot count against down. But the Bruins pressured the Mustangs into giveaways and frustrated them through all areas of the ice.
“That's one of our game plans. We've got to take away their time and space with the gap, and force turnovers and play in transition,” said Witzke. “That's a good way to score goals.”
Matthew Chekay and Hayden Guilderson scored the Bruins goals, but Melfort's Loch Morrison notched one on the power play with less than a minute to go in the first.
“It was the same challenge every night. We just come in trying to win hockey games,” said Bruin defenceman Jake Heerspink, who notched a couple of assists in the game. A shot from Heerspink that went off Jake Fletcher provided the game winning goal. But it was his and his defensive partners who stole the game from the Mustangs, allowing only 18 shots against in total. “We're not worried too much about our opponents. We're just worried about our game and our dressing room.”
The relentless Bruins persisted in their most consistent and complete home game this season – right when they needed it.
“Everyone was going in all four lines and our special teams were working too,” Heerspink said. “You can't ask for much more. Everyone's happy in the dressing room.”
Bruins' head coach Chris Lewgood said he was thrilled with the game and thought it was an excellent effort.
“It has to be to beat a good team,” Lewgood said. “We told the guys several games ago that at this time of the year we're not judging the success of a game based on wins and losses solely. Obviously those come with the efforts and the attention to detail. But win or lose (Friday), I thought tonight was an excellent effort. I thought we played 60 minutes of quality hockey. It wasn't without mistakes, but we controlled what we could. Anytime we made adjustments as coaches the players executed.”
Matt Lukacs stopped 16 shots in the Bruins net and has made the lion's share of the starts in the early going this year.
“He's come along nicely and we're really comfortable in goal given we don't have any experience there,” said Lewgood.
The Bruins still have an excess of players and some decisions to make once the Dec. 1 roster deadline hits. But Lewgood hinted at potentially adding a player or two in the near future.
“Where in the lineup, I'm not sure, or at least I'm not able to speak to that right now,” Lewgood said. “There's nothing imminent but I do believe there will be some changes. I think as much as adding and subtracting, it'll be an adjustment in our lineup in the makeup of our top nine forwards. We'll look at any players that don't upset the apple cart in the dressing room. But as it sits right now, we've got some players playing in our top nine that are probably fourth line type guys.”
Earlier in the week, the Bruins travelled to Notre Dame Wednesday where they fell behind early, came back to tie and send it to overtime, but then lost 5-4 in overtime. Guilderson, Zach Goberis, Michael McChesney and Fletcher each scored a goal and an assist in the game, while Lukacs stopped 23 of 28 in the game.
As of Monday, Goberis and McChesney are first and second in SJHL scoring with 22 and 18 points respectively. Fletcher is tied for fourth with 14 points while Guilderson and Kaelan Holt are also in the top ten, both tied for sixth with 11 points.
The Bruins travelled to Yorkton on Tuesday night and defeated the host Yorkton Terriers 4-3, the third time the Bruins have defeated the Terriers in the last 10 days. The Terriers jumped out to a 1-0 lead on a goal by William Brochu 4:07 into the first period, but Kaelan Holt scored less than four minutes later to tie the game. Jack Kilroy scored his first goal in the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League with 4:05 to play in the first to give the Bruins a 2-1 lead.
Zach Goberis' tally 4:46 into the second period put the Bruins up 3-1, but Cody Bruchkowski's goal late in the second pulled the Bruins to within a goal.
The third period was scoreless until the Terriers ran into penalty trouble in the second half of the frame. Jake Heerspink scored with five minutes to play in the third to restore the Bruins two-goal advantage. Bruchkowski scored his second of the game with 68 seconds left to close the gap, but the Terriers couldn't muster the tying goal.
Maxim Sidelnik picked up the win in goal for the Bruins. Logan Bateman was the goalie for the Terriers.
