It wasn't the way they drew it up, but it will go down as a victory all the same for the Power Dodge Estevan Bruins.

The Bruins played a tight game with the Yorkton Terriers on Tuesday night and hung on in the dying seconds to squeak out a 4-3 win. 

Jake Heerspink scored what would prove to be the game-winner on an extended five-on-three late in the third period, driving hard to the net and cashing in from in tight. The goal was his second point of the contest after he set up Jack Kilroy for his first SJHL goal on a 2-on-1.

At the time it gave the Bruins a 4-2 lead, and with more five-on-three time on the way after a slough of Terrier penalties, that seemed to seal the deal. But the Terriers clawed their way back to within one for the second time that game after a mad scramble in front of the Bruins net at 18:52 of the third period. Cody Bruchkowski had three or four whacks at a loose puck, with Max Sidelnik making the initial saves before the puck finally flipped past him for Bruchkowski's second of the game.

That was as close as the Terriers got, however, as Sidenlik made a few more key saves off a couple of defensive zone faceoffs, including one with just 1.9 seconds left, to complete the win.

The Terriers jumped out front early in the first period, when William Brochu picked up the puck off a broken rush by Chantz Petruic and slipped it past Sidelnik. The Bruins were quick to respond, however, as Johnny Witzke made a spinning backhand pass to Kaelan Holt in the high slot and Holt rifled it past Logan Bateman to square the game at one. After that, it was Heerspink and Kilroy working an odd-man rush, created by Heerspink's cleverly timed pinch, that gave the Bruins a lead they never fully relinquished.

The Bruins took the first two-goal lead of the game when Michael McChesney sent linemate Zach Goberis in on a clean breakaway. Goberis made the chance count, opening up Bateman's five-hole and slipping a backhand between his pads. The Bruins two-goal lead would not survive the period, however, as Bruchkowski came down the right wing and fired a shot short-side on Sidelnik to cut the lead down to one.   

The Terriers all but penalized themselves out of the game late in the third. Games between these two division rivals never lack for nastiness, but Yorkton went too far in the final frame.

First, Dexter Robinson (who had already been in the sin bin for a cross-check earlier in the period) earned a five-minute major for sticking Tanner Manz in the mouth off a faceoff. Not long after, the Terriers went down on a roughing call to Charlie Risk, who punched Holt in the face in a scrum. Just as that five-on-three was set to expire, Petruic took a minor for slashing, and this two-man advantage the Bruins clicked, with Heerspink potting the final Estevan tally of the game.

Sidelnik made 30 saves in the win, while Bateman stopped 30 of his own in the defeat. The Bruins move to 8-2-1 with the win, while the loss drops Yorkton to 2-7-2 on the campaign. The Bruins next face off with the La Ronge Ice Wolves at 7:00 on Thursday night at Affinity Place.  

GAME NOTES

-Estevan and Yorkton are far apart in the standings but tied in one category: they lead the SJHL in games played with 11 each. Three other teams have played ten, and two will get to eleven tomorrow when Melfort and Melville do battle. 

-Michael McChesney and Zach Goberis took all of one game to get back on the scoresheet after being blanked in the win over Melfort on October 6. Goberis scored a breakaway goal, on which McChesney assisted.  

-Dexter Robinson was handed a five-minute major for cross-checking late in the third period. No word yet on any supplemental discipline he may face, but SJHL president Bill Chow was in attendance at the game.

-The win moves the Bruins into a tie with Melfort for first place in the SJHL, but Melfort has a game in hand.

-Jack Kilroy is the seventh Bruin to score his first SJHL goal through the first 11 games of the season.

-This is the first game between the two teams in which there have been no fights. Raihan Kheraj and William Brochu fought in the first game, while Isaac Embree and Josh Bryant squared off in game two. The two teams next meet on October 21 in Estevan.  

GAME HIGHLIGHTS:

The next Bruins Broadcast on Rock106 will be on Wednesday, October 25th.

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