Bruins Lose 6-5 In Yorkton; Win Streak Ends At 7

The goals came fast and furious on Tuesday night, but when the Power Dodge Estevan Bruins needed one most it was not to be in a high-scoring 6-5 loss to the Yorkton Terriers.

VIDEO: Game Highlights of Bruins 6-5 Loss To Yorkton

The Bruins came into the game riding a 7-game winning streak. That combined with Yorkton losing their last three games in regulation moved Estevan four points ahead of the Terriers for the Viterra Division lead entering play.

It would be the home team opening the scoring as Chantz Petruic scored 1:43 into the game to make it 1-0 Yorkton. But the Bruins would storm back and take control of the game.

TJ Irey tied the game with his 16th goal of the year at the 4:08 mark to make it 1-1. Then on the powerplay, Turner Ripplinger one-timed in his 24th of the season to put the Bruins up 2-1 at the 9:41 mark. Then at 15:17, just as another powerplay expired, Devan Harrison’s point shot would hit a Yorkton defender and find the back of the net for his 4th of the season, increasing the Bruins lead to 3-1. Terriers forward Colby Brandt would get one goal back before the intermission and the score would be 3-2 heading into the 2nd period.

That remained the score until the 11:27 mark of the middle frame when Petruic would score his second of the game for Yorkton to tie the game at 3-3.

A few minutes later at the 13:40 mark, Bryce Platt put the Bruins up 4-3 with his 17th of the season only to see Yorkton’s Cody Bruchkowski tie the game back up at 4-4 at the 17:24 mark.

With only seconds to go in the 2nd period during a Yorkton powerplay, two Terriers collided with each other in the offensive zone springing the Manz twins in on a shorthanded 2-on-0. Tanner fed Tyson a perfect pass and Tyson made no mistake for his 3rd of the season with only 5.9 seconds left in the 2nd period to make it 5-4 Estevan.

But early in the final period, Yorkton would not only tie the game back up, they would take their first lead since the first goal of the game. At the 5:05 mark, Mason Mullaney made it 5-5 and just over a minute later at the 6:07 mark, Brandt’s second of the game put Yorkton up 6-5.

The Bruins would push for the equalizer and earn a powerplay in the final few minutes, but were unable to even the score. Despite a mad scrum for the puck in the Yorkton crease in the dying seconds, the Bruins would fall 6-5 in regulation to Yorkton.

The win for Yorkton gives them the season series over Estevan, which could prove costly for the Bruins if the two teams are tied for points in the standings at the end of the season. Estevan now leads Yorkton by two points for the division lead, with the Terriers having a game in hand.

Both Kadin Kilpatrick for Estevan (25/31) and Ryan Ouellette for Yorkton (33/38) didn’t have their best night in net, with both netminders facing two of the top scoring teams in the SJHL.

Estevan finished (1/3) on the powerplay and added a shorthanded goal, their third consecutive game scoring a goal while shorthanded. Yorkton finished (1/2) on the powerplay.

The Bruins will now get ready to face the Melville Millionaires in a weekend home-and-home series, with Friday night’s game being held at Affinity Place in Estevan at 7:30pm.