Bruins Stave off Eliminations in Game 5!

The Estevan Bruins will live to see another day as they posted a big 4-1 home ice victory over the Yorkton Terriers on Saturday night. The Bruins led 1-0 after a period of play as Kyle Stroh picked up the goal from Kealin Wong and Payden Benning. Benning would put the Bruins up 2-0 just 2:22 into the second period with assists going to Colton MacPherson and Nick Colliton. The Terriers would get on the board next as Michael Trebish scored on the power play from Bryan Hull and Kurtis Decker to cut the Bruins lead in half. Stroh would put the Bruins up 3-1 just over a minute into the third period with a power play goal assisted on by Chad Filteau. Brant Harris would then put the nail in the coffin at the 4:00 mark of the third from Brennan Wrigley and Filteau. Karsten Felske picked up the win in goal for the Bruins as he made 34 saves, while Lynden Sammartino took the loss for the Terriers allowing four goals on 27 shots. Referee Todd Sharpe was injured in the first period but stayed in the game. The teams get right back at it tomorrow night in Yorkton with Game 6. The Terriers no doubt would like to win this game so that they don't have to return to Estevan for a Game 7 on Tuesday night. Game time in Yorkton on Sunday night is 7:30. For those interested in listening on-line you can catch the Yorkton broadcast on GX94 with Craig Stein and Blaine Weyland or the Estevan broadcast at discoverestevan.com with Darryl Russell.

In La Ronge, the Nipawin Hawks won a huge game on the road, 7-2, to take a 3-2 lead in the series over the La Ronge Ice Wolves. Brent Ottmann scored twice and added an assist to lead the way for the Hawks. Youngster Kenton Miller, a Redvers product, also scored twice for Nipawin. Taylor Thiessen added a goal and an assist for the Hawks. Todd Panchyson and Jordon Miller also scored for Nipawin. Cody Wutzke added three assists for the Hawks. Steve Mason, Keldon Sanderson, Blair Toms and Trent Rumpel all added assists. Everette Lerner has really picked up his play in the playoffs as he had a goal and an assist for the Ice Wolves to take over the SJHL playoff scoring lead. Jules Boucher also scored for La Ronge who got single assists from Dustin Stevenson, Tyler Karst and Adam Moar. Derek Kleinsteuber picked up the win for the Hawks while Jonathan Jobin was off his game tonight being pulled after allowing six goals through two periods of play. Brian Kaval allowed one goal in the third period in relief of Jobin. The teams will play Game 6 in Nipawin at 6:30. Game 7 if necessary would go back in La Ronge on Tuesday night. Game 6 will be available on CK750 online with Kenny Trenton or La Ronge's MBC radio with Dallas Hicks.

The Humboldt Broncos scored the game tying goal with six seconds left as they tied the Melfort Mustangs 2-2. The game tying goal by Jordan Schindel clinched the Itech conference selection series for Humboldt and saves a trip to Flin Flon on Monday night. The Mustangs got goals from Riley Clark(assisted from Jason Walker and Cameron Larson) and Nick Kalnicki (unassisted) to take a 2-0 lead after two periods of play. Russ Nielsen cut the lead to 2-1 just 3:25 into the third period from Voldy Dashko and Taylor Pillar. This set up the game tying heroics from Schindel as Laurent Benjamin and Brayden Klimosko assisted on the goal. Ilia Ejov made 26 saves in the Melfort goal. His counterpart, Taylor Nelson, stopped 18 of the 20 shots he faced. Although it is a no-brainer in the Sherwood Conference as to who the Melville Millionaires will pick (the winner of the elimination series between Estevan and Yorkton), it may not be as certain in the Itech. Humboldt may choose to face the Mustangs or Bombers rather than the Hawks or Ice Wolves. I guess we will all know soon enough.

Tonight's Three Stars:

* Brent Ottmann - Nipawin Hawks (three point night in big Hawks victory)
** Kyle Stroh - Estevan Bruins (two big goals in win over Yorkton)
*** Karsten Felske - Estevan Bruins (34 save performance in win over Terriers)

- Brad M.