Bruins End Trip With Huge Win over Northstars

The CanElson Drilling Estevan Bruins saved their best effort for last as they defeated the Battlefords Northstars 5-2.

The Bruins made plenty of changes to their lines before the game and the changes seem to spark the Bruins. One change was Brett Lewchuk being called up from the Saskatoon AAA Midget Blazers getting the start in net for the Bruins. The Bruins and Northstars were scoreless until 26 seconds remaining in the period when Matt Brykaliuk and Dylan Smith emerged with a 2 on 1 and Brykaliuk's shot left Smith a big rebound as the Bruins took a 1-0 lead.

In the second period, the Northstars came back to tie it up at 1-1 35 seconds into the period, but the Bruins would respond a couple of minutes later as Brykaliul scored from a tough angle and the Bruins grabbed a 2-1 lead. The Bruins would add to their lead as Calder Neufeld scored his first goal since the third game of the season on the powerplay to extend their lead to 3-1. Shortly afterwards Hudson Morrison would outhustle the Northstar defenders and would score on the breakaway to give the Bruins the 4-1 lead. The Northstars would pull Goalie Casey Parker and Connor Creech would go in net. The move seemed to spark the Northstars as they scored at the end of the period to make it 4-2.

But the Bruins would win the third period as Morrison finished  off a 2 on 1 rush to score his second of the game and his 20th of the season to make the final 5-2.

It was a big night for the Morrison-Neufeld-Alex Cote line. Neufeld had a goal and a pair of assists, Cote had a pair of assists. Brett Blatz had a pair of assists and played solid inside of his own end. Lewchuk made 38 saves to pick up the win in his SJHL debut.

The Bruins are now off until Friday when they meet the Humboldt Broncos. You can catch the game on CJ1280 and discoverestevan.com beginning at 7:20.

*Audio to come later with Keith Cassidy and the Neufeld-Morrison-Cote line later today