The Estevan Bruins weren't pleased with results of their last two games against the Yorkton Terriers. Needless to say, they were far happier after the game on Friday, December 8.

The Bruins dominated Yorkton from the opening faceeoff to the final buzzer, laying a 9-0 whipping on a Terriers team already reeling from consecutive losses to Humboldt in which they were outscored a combined 15-5.

"I thought we were steady in all three zones," said Bruins head coach and GM Chris Lewgood, perhaps understating things. "We played responsibly. Our puck management was excellent tonight, maybe the best we've seen all year." 

Estevan had two goals apiece from TJ Irey and Michael McChesney, while Kaelan Holt, Tanner Manz, Mark Edmands, Jake Tesarowski, and captain Jake Fletcher provided a single tally each. Estevan finished the game with 64 shots, and all 18 Bruins skaters finished with at least a point. Nine Bruins had multi-point games.

"The best part about it is how they scored," Lewgood said of his teams offensive explosion. "They didn't cheat once to get those goals, it was all playing the game the right way, simple and defensive minded, putting pucks on the net and going for rebounds. Simple hockey and no real risks taken to get that offense."

The individual success for Estevan wasn't limited to their skaters, as goalie Bo Didur posted a 24-save shutout in his first start in a Bruins uniform. 

"We've had good goaltending here of late, and I think if anything it was a driving factor late in the game when the game was out of reach," said Lewgood, knowing that his team wanted to secure Didur's shutout, "in what you sometimes call garbage time, we had something to play for."

TJ Irey got the beat started for Estevan at 7:52 of the first period and it rolled on all game long. By the end of the opening frame, Manz, Tesarowski, and Holt had added markers of their own, and Fletcher scored just 45 seconds into the middle frame. The game was as good as over by the first minute of the second period.

"Our line was working hard and good things happen when lines work hard," Irey said of his first ever two-goal outing in the SJHL. "Every line played a full, complete game and that's what we need every night."

Late in the third, with the Bruins up a man, Irey got a chance to hunt his hat trick when he was slotted in next to Goberis and Arthur Miller. Irey had some good chances, but wasn't able to cash the goal to send the hats to the ice. 

"I was a little netvous out there," Irey chuckled. "I head coach say my name with Goby (Zach Goberis) and I said, 'Ok, Goby and Miller, they'll get the puck on my stick,' They tried their best and if I didn't get it it was all right, it was a fun game." 

Estevan will have no time to savor the victory, as they take on Yorkton tomorrow. Last time the Bruins played a home-and-home with the Terriers, they opened it with a big win at Affinity Place only to play a much different game the next night in Yorkton.

"They've started already," said Lewgood of his team getting ready for the next tilt. "Post-game comments in our debrief here, the guys remembered that one. It was our first home-and-home of the year against those guys and we waxed them here and then they outplayed us for two periods quite badly there."

"They're already in the right mindset but talk is cheap and we've got to see action."

"We enjoyed it for a litte bit and we had a good time in the locker room," said Irey, "but come tomorrow and even tonight we gotta start getting ready for the game." 

Estevan and Yorkton renew acquaintances and hostilities tomorrow night in Yorkton at 7:30. You can catch that game on Rock 106 and online at the Rock 106 page on discoverestevan.com.

GAME NOTES

All 18 Bruins skaters earned a point in this game for the first time all season. Nine players had two points but, surprisingly, no one had a three-point night.

Estevan is now 4-1-1 against Yorkton this year and 2-1-1 at home. They are undefeated in Yorkton so far.

Terriers goaltender Joe Marcouiller has now faced 119 shots in two games against Estevan. He has stopped 106 of them, and played the entire 60 minutes for the Terriers. 

Zach Goberis earned two assists and sits at 47 points on the year. He continues to lead the league with 25 goals.

Kaelan Holt's two points tonight marked his fifth straight game with two or more points. This excludes the game he missed in Flin Flon. He now has 17 goals and 41 points on the year.

Michael McChesney played his first game since returning from Canada West's camp for the World Junior A Challenge. He finished with an even strength and power play tally.