ESTEVAN - The Estevan Bruins picked up a pair of 4-2 victories on home ice over the Kindersley Klippers this week.
On Tuesday night, the Bruins took a 2-0 lead after the first period on goals by Jagjeevan Phangura and Gabriel Filion 3 1/2 minutes apart. Filion’s goal was his first in the SJHL.
Estevan peppered Klippers’ goaltender Cody Jaman with shots on goal early in the second but couldn’t add to the lead.
Markers by Jaydon Jessiman and Kyler Smith tied the game, but a few minutes after Smith scored, Tim Tychonick put the Bruins back in the lead, and Mitch Kohner restored the two-goal advantage before the period was out.
Neither team scored in the third.
Cam Hrdlicka made 25 saves for Estevan, while Cody Jaman stopped 31 shots for Kindersley.
The following night, Adam Paplawski opened the scoring on a power play for the Klippers with just over six minutes to play in the first period.
The Bruins’ Kade Runke tied the game midway through the second, and from there, the Bruins took over, firing pucks at Jaman. Finally, Salvatore Collora scored for Estevan with less than a second to play in the frame.
Collora added his second of the game 2:37 into the third. Matthew Mazzocchi’s goal pulled the Klippers to within one, but a few minutes later, Kohner put the Bruins ahead by two once again.
Jackson Miller stopped 14 of the 16 shots he faced to get his first win in the SJHL. Jaman came up with 41 saves for Kindersley and kept the score respectable.
The Bruins outshot the Klippers 20-8 in the second and 16-3 in the third.
Estevan (18-14) will host the Melfort Mustangs Friday night at Affinity Place. Game time is 7 p.m. It will be the Bruins’ last home game before the Christmas break.
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The Bruins have announced forward Keagon Little will be joining the team after the Christmas break. Little will be finishing his first semester at Briercrest College where he was a member of the men’s hockey program that competes in the ACAC.
Little spent two seasons with the Bruins and was part of the team that won the SJHL championship last season.
“Adding a player like Keagon after the Christmas break is great news for our hockey team. He has championship experience and is a player that really played in all situations for us last season. As a staff we are excited to have Keagon back” said head coach and general manager Jason Tatarnic.
Little adds he’s “Looking forward to getting back to Estevan and competing for another championship.”
