They couldn't hold on, but the Estevan Sherritt Coal Bruins gave the Yorkton Terriers a scare in the opener of their second-round league playoff series on Sunday.
Yorkton won the game 5-2 on the strength of three goals in the final nine minutes of the game.
After falling behind 2-0 following the first period, the Bruins clawed their way back with a goal in the second and another in the third to tie the game.
"(The score) isn't a reflection at all of the game. We played with these guys from the drop of the puck," said Bruins head coach Jeff Pierson.
"The boys knew they were still in the game (after two periods). They believed that they had a chance to win this, which is big in itself, and they just kept fighting."
Yorkton struck twice quickly in the first, with goals from Keenan Taphorn and Carson Miller coming 22 seconds apart about five minutes in.
Jordan Stein got the Bruins on the board at 15:17 of the second, sneaking the puck past splayed out goaltender Coleman Metherell.
Then, almost eight minutes into the third, Cole Fonstad fed Ryder Pierson for a breakaway, and he made no mistake to tie the game.
But it wouldn't last long, as with nine minutes left, Yorkton's Carter Lake buried a shot glove side on Bruins goalie Cody Levesque, who catches right.
The Terriers added an insurance goal with 2:17 to play, as Miller, the league's scoring leader, scored on an odd-man rush.
Taphorn would add an empty netter with a minute to go.
"I thought for the most part in the third period, we dominated them. We spent a lot of time in their zone, we had a lot of chances. (But) the one thing with Yorkton is when you make a mistake, they're going to make you pay," said Pierson.
"This isn't the first time we've played this team this tough, and that's something I'm extremely proud of. We find a way to compete with a team that went 20-0 in the league and has lost one game all year. We gave them everything they can handle and more. Their coaches had to coach this game."
Game 2 of the best-of-three series was set to go last night in Yorkton, and Pierson said the Game 1 effort has him optimistic.
"It sent a message to Yorkton that we weren't lying down, and I have a lot of confidence going in there Tuesday that we can play with them."
