Over the course of three periods, a five-minute over time, and 11 shootout shooters, the Estevan Bruins put 51 shots in on Justin Close of the Kindersley Klippers on Saturday, November 3. As it turned out, it was just enough,

Turner Ripplinger and Bryce Platt scored in regulation, and TJ Irey and Kade McMillen added shootout goals as the Bruins outlasted the Klippers in a 3-2 shootout win. Grant Boldt stopped 26 of 28 shots in regulation and followed it up with 10 of 11 saves in the penalty shot contest for the win.

"I thought we would be the better team," said Bruins head coach and GM Chris Lewgood of what proved to be a come-from-behind victory, "but we got into penalty trouble a bit and they took advantage. We got caught cheating and maybe sold ourselves a bit short. But we took over from there."

The Klippers power play staked them to a 2-0 lead by the two-minute mark of the second period. In the first, Brendon Borbley leaned into a one-timer and beat Boldt high to the glove side on a 5-on-4. Then, with the Bruins down two men in the second, Caden Benson bounced a shot in off of Austin King-Cunningham for a two-goal lead. 

The Bruins buckled down, however, and that was as much scoring as Kindersley would do. Bryce Platt got the Bruins back within one with a power move down the left wing, cutting to the goal and burying a backhander on Close. In the third, Ripplinger found himself on a clean breakaway and roofed a shot over Close's glove to square the score. 

Overtime solved nothing, despite a Bruins man advantage. TJ Irey, who hit a post and a crossbar on the same shot in regulation, was robbed by Close in the overtime. In the shootout, however, it was Irey who had the last laugh, ripping a shot low blocker on the veteran netminder.

Austin Nault tied the score in the second round, and then the goalies took over as Boldt and Close went save for save. 

"Shootouts in practice haven't been going the best for me to be honest," Boldt chuckled after the game. "I think I was saving it all up for that moment right there to get the win."

Boldt stopped nine of ten shooters before Kade McMillen came over the boards. The rookie had not scored in the regular season, but he looked like a goal scorer on his attempt, faking out Close with a move to the forehand and stuffing it past him.

"I knew what I was doing right from the start," said McMillen, who'd had the chance to observe the previous 10 shooters. "He was biting pretty hard on those fake shots so as soon as my number got called I knew what I would do. I was going to fake that shot and take it wide there."

Boldt stood his ground on the final Klippers shooter to give the Bruins the victory. "Every time a player scores like McMillen did, the only thing that goes through my mind is save it," he said. "You gotta make sure you get that win."

The Bruins move to 10-10 on the year and will take two days off before hosting the Yorkton Terriers on Tuesday night at 7 PM.

GAME NOTES

Will Koop left the game in the second period with an upper body injury and did not return. The Bruins were not optimistic about his prognosis post-game. Blake Kleiner also left the game for the Klippers after the first and did not return.

Bryce Platt stretched his goal scoring streak to three games with his second period marker. He has scored all six of his goals at even strength.  

TJ Irey's goal scoring streak officially ended at three games, though he did score in the shootout. Michael McChesney and Johnny Witzke both picked up assists and extended their point streaks. 

Turner Ripplinger's goal was his tenth of the year. He is tied for the team lead in that department with McChesney.