HIGHLIGHTS:

Estevan, the 'Energy City', is about to reach peak levels thanks to their local junior hockey team

The Power Dodge Estevan Bruins are off to the league final in the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League (SJHL) after defeating the Battlefords North Stars 6-2 in Game 5 of their Canalta Cup semi-final series on Thursday night.

Estevan wins the Best-of-7 series (4-1), defeating the defending SJHL champions and securing their spot in the Canalta Cup final for the first time since 1999 when the Bruins' last won the title.

"It was a fun night here as the guys dug in, scoring six unanswered goals," stated Bruins' Head Coach and General Manager Chris Lewgood following Game 5 in Battlefords. "Just a heck of an effort and a character win by our group."

CHRIS LEWGOOD - POST-GAME:

The Bruins' won the first three games of the series, outscoring Battlefords 17-7 in the three victories before the North Stars stayed alive with a 9-6 win in Game 4 at Affinity Place.

With a banged-up roster and looking to bounce back after failing to sweep the series at home, the Bruins' were out for revenge on the road on Thursday.

However, Battlefords would carry over the momentum from Game 4 by scoring the first two goals of Game 5. With Estevan's Matt Lukacs getting the start in goal as Bo Didur nursed an injury suffered on Tuesday, Keith Anderson (3:40) and Layne Young (10:40) both scored on the powerplay to give the North Stars an early 2-0 lead.

Before the end of the 1st period, Estevan countered as Hayden Guilderson, playing his first game of the series due to injury, scored off his own rebound with 1:07 remaining to make the score 2-1 after 20 minutes.

"He played fast, he played hard, he got us going with that first one. And to get him back into the lineup was pretty motivating for the rest of the guys," Lewgood would say of Guilderson's play in his return.

The Bruins' would tie it up in the middle frame as rookie forward Tanner Manz (13:02) swept the puck five-hole past Battlefords' Taryn Kotchorek scored his 4th goal of the series, all on the road, to even the score at 2-2 after two periods of play.

"I think he likes big-game hockey," added Lewgood on Manz, who's twin brother Tyson and Jayden Davis assisted on the goal. "Tanner's a high-character guy, and you want high-character guys out there in big moments."

The 3rd period would be played very closely, with both teams unable to convert on a early powerplay and get the go-ahead goal. With the score remaining 2-2 entering the final 10 minutes of regulation, the Bruins' would take their first lead of the game.

Kaelan Holt fed a quick pass out front to team captain Jake Fletcher who beat Kotchorek (11:11) to give the Bruins' a 3-2 lead with less than nine minutes to play. Just three minutes later (14:25), Holt picked top corner to provide Estevan with a much-needed insurance goal and a 4-2 lead with only five minutes remaining.

"You know, Holt was fighting the puck earlier in the game... a lot of our guys were," said Lewgood on the 20-year-old Estevan product. "We talked between periods about simplifying, but really he just started feeling it. He didn't have to simplify much, he just started doing his thing." 

The Bruins' Celebrate Their Series Victory Over Battlefords.

Battlefords would pull their goalie for the extra attacker with about three minutes to play, as they looked for two goals to try and force overtime and keep their season alive. But for the defending league champions, it wasn't meant to be.

Holt scored into the empty net from his own end of the rink (17:52) to give the Bruins' a 5-2 and seal the victory. Zach Goberis also added an empty-net goal (19:45) in the final seconds to make the final score 6-2.

The Bruins' mobbed Lukacs after the final buzzer sounded, as the first-year goaltender made 31 saves in his first SJHL playoff start to lift Estevan to their first championship series in 19 seasons.

"Lukacs played excellent for us tonight, especially late in the game," stated Lewgood on his goaltender. "He made some big saves, and the goals they did score tonight were on third and fourth opportunities."

"We've got a lot of confidence in both goaltenders, so if we have to keep Matt in there we know he'll stand tall. And when Bo (Didur) is ready to go again we know he'll do the same."

The Bruins' will now wait and see who they will face in the Canalta Cup final. The Nipawin Hawks hold a (3-1) series lead over the Humboldt Broncos in the other semi-final, with Nipawin winning Game 1 in double-overtime and Game 4 in triple-overtime. Game 5 of that series is Friday night in Nipawin.

The Canalta Cup Final will begin on the weekend of April 13th - 15th.

GAME NOTES (From Rock106 Play-By-Play Announcer Rob Mahon)

- Matt Lukacs started his first game of the playoffs and finished with 31 saves on 33 shots. It was his first playoff win in the SJHL.

- Jake Fletcher’s goal gives him eight goals and 13 points in the playoffs. He leads the Bruins in goals and is second only to Brandan Arnold (who has 9) in the SJHL.

- Five of the Bruins six top forwards have double-digit points. Only Hayden Guilderson has fewer than ten, but his eight points in five games give him the highest point-per-game totals of any Bruins forward.

- Tanner Manz finished with four goals and an assist in three games in Battlefords. Jayden Davis finished with five assists in three games as well.

- Kaelan Holt drew two assists in addition to his goals, giving him a four-point night. He now has five goals and 13 points, tied with Fletcher and Zach Goberis for second on the team in points. Michael McChesney leads the way with six goals and eight assists for 14 points.

- The Bruins went 4-0-1 in five games in Battlefords this year. Their only loss came in a shootout on February 2nd. They finish the year with a combined 7-3-1 record against the reigning SJHL champs.

- Estevan has now gone 16-2 in their last 18 games dating back to the regular season, easily the best mark in the SJHL in that span.