The Estevan Bruins poured 55 pucks at the Yorkton Terriers net, but it wasn't enough as they fell to Yorkton 5-4 in a shootout.

Kaelan Holt and Hayden Guilderson had two goals apiece, and Holt scored in the shootout, but Terriers goalie Joe Marcouiller made 51 saves and stopped two of three Bruins shootout shooters for the victory.

"Their goaltenders have played well against us," Bruins head coach and GM Chris Lewgood said post-game. "They're a young team and that's why they give up so many shots. They're not a team that's going to be able to compete when we're doing our thing, but we kept letting them back in it."

"You've got to give credit to their goaltender," Lewgood added, "and to their perseverence. They stick around and find a way to win tonight."

It wasn't all on the shoulders of Yorkton's netminder, however.

"Too many mistakes again," Lewgood lamented. "Same things we've battled consistently, it's making mistakes at inopportune times and it seems as though a lot of those end up in the back of our net." 

The Bruins got up 1-0 on Holt's shot from the slot in the first period. He took a behind-the-back pass from Guilderson and wired it past Marcouiller to put Estevan in front. By the five minute mark of the second period, however, the Bruins trailed 2-1.

Holt restored the tie with his second of the night on a backdoor feed by Mark Edmands late in the second. Then, with just 11 seconds to play in the period, Guilderson cut his way into the slot and made a beautiful inside-out move on Marcouiller to put the Bruins out front. 

Guilderson scored a funny one in the third, banking it in off Marcouiller's pad to give the Bruins a 4-2 lead. Again, however, the lead evaporated and Estevan headed to overtime. 

Despite plenty of shots and a 4-on-3 power play, Estevan couldn't cash in overtime, and Guilderson and Zach Goberis couldn't penetrate Marcouiller's defenses in the shootout and the Terriers took the penalty shot contest 2-1.

Estevan has no time to dwell on the loss, as the welcome the surging Battlefords North Stars to Affinity Place on Friday night.

GAME NOTES

The Bruins were without forward Michael McChesney for the second game in a row. Jayden Davis spent much of the night with Goberis and Arthur Miller. McChesney is skating, but may not be ready to return on Friday.

This is the second time Estevan has put over 50 shots on Yorkton at home, but it is also their second defeat against Yorkton this year at Affinity. They are unbeaten on the road against the Terriers.

Estevan has now lost four of their last five games and five of their last seven dating back to November 17 against Battlefords. The Bruins are still in first place in the Viterra Division, however, with 35 points.

At the halfway point of the season, Estevan sits 16-10-3. Zach Goberis leads the team with 25 goals and 45 points. Holt now sits second in both categories with 16 goals and 37 points.