ESTEVAN - The Estevan Bruins began preseason play by winning two of the three games they played on the weekend.
Estevan opened the exhibition slate with a 1-0 loss against the Weyburn Red Wings on Friday night at Affinity Place. Brad Banach's goal 8:58 into the first period held up as the lone marker of the game.
While the Bruins outshot the Wings 33-24 on the night, it was the Bruins' Cam Hrdlicka who had the tougher saves, although Dazza Mitchell of the Wings had to make some tricky stops as well.
The Bruins recovered with a 3-2 overtime victory over the Wings the following night in Weyburn. Seb Hicks scored 5:28 into the first period to give Weyburn a 1-0 lead and Jackson Forster's goal at the 9:11 mark of the middle frame doubled the margin.
Mark Corbett's tally with one second to play in the second was the Bruins' first goal of the preseason. Jesse Ivanovic scored on a power play with 1:50 to play in the third to tie the game, and Garett Zasitko notched the winner 2:04 into extra time.
Matteo Cavilla stopped 41 of the 43 shots he faced for the Bruins, while Ryan Piekarski made 31 saves for Weyburn.
Finally, on Sunday night, the Bruins scored three times in 93 seconds in the second period in a 4-3 victory over the Manitoba Junior Hockey League's Virden Oil Capitals in Virden.
Corbett opened the scoring with 2:53 to play in the first period. The Capitals took the lead in the second on goals by Nash Henwood and Ethan Guthrie, but Estevan took over late in the frame, thanks to tallies by Zasitko, Ilia Chmelevski and Tyler Guy.
Layton Veitch's goal for Virden was the lone marker of the third.
Jackson Miller made 29 saves for the Bruins, while Eric Reid stopped 25 shots for Virden.
The Bruins will be back on the ice on Sept. 13 when they visit the Notre Dame Hounds in Wilcox. Then they will host Virden on Sept. 15 and Notre Dame the following night. Both home games will start at 7 p.m. at Affinity Place.
