With jobs and roles on the line, the Estevan Bruins remaining skaters, prospects and camp invites put on a show for the assembled crowd on September 1 as they played the annual Black and Gold Game. Team Black lagged behind on the shot clock but ultimately clawed out a 3-2 win for the Gerry Aspen Cup. 

Places on the Estevan Bruins final roster, and ice time for those whose spot was secure, were up for grabs and the Bruin hopefuls played like it in a fast, physical affair. Ryder Pierson started the scoring for Gold in the first period, burying a feed on a two-on-one on a play nearly identical to one he scored on during the rookie game in the morning.

The physical game picked up not long after, which fully suited team Black captain Austin King-Cunningham. He threw several crushing hits, frequently stopping the rush dead in its tracks.

"I was catching guys with their heads down," he said. "Guys were in the wrong place at the wrong time. That's part of my game and you'll see it lots this year." 

Team Black had the lead by the end of the second, however. Mason Strutt banged home his first of two on the game to tie the score, and in the dying seconds of the period Jerzy Martin and Michael McChesney went in 2-on-0. McChesney deffered to Martin, who took the breakaway and potted one five-hole to give Black the lead. It was the second straight year Martin had scored in the Black and Gold Game.  

Both teams scored during the same four-on-four play in the final frame. The first goal came from Gold's Johnny Witzke. The 20-year-old danced and dodged his way out of traffic to open up a shooting lane before rifling a shot glove side to even the score.

The tie did not survive the four aside play, however, as Strutt scored on a give-and-go play with Martin. Martin drove into the zone and fed a perfect pass across the crease for Strutt's second of the contest.

After the game, team black was all smiles, and the widest of them belonged to their captain. 

"It felt good to get back to Estevan," King-Cunningham said. "I had a lot of fun out there, seeing some familiar faces. And the new guys put their heart and soul into the game and it was a fun game to play."

Overall the sense leaving the game was one of optimism for both sides. With five returning defensemen and the only returning 30-goal scorer from last year in McChesney, and a good crop of youngsters, the Bruins feel good entering the 2018-19 season.

"We've got a lot of returning guys," said King-Cunningham. "We were kind of building to this year. We've got some unfinished business to take care of and I think we're going to do that this year. I'm looking forward to it."