Eagle Drilling Estevan Bruins back-up goalie Shea Cooper got his first taste of regular season action on Friday night in Notre Dame. The game was the first of a home and home series with the Hounds, and while the Bruins dropped a 4-1 decision, head coach Karry Biette said Cooper had a strong game.
"Cooper played very well. There were times when he made two, three, four saves that kept us in the game," said Biette.
The Bruins ran into a defence-first Hounds team that was able to shut them down offensively and even though Estevan outshot the Hounds, they came out on the losing end, with Ty Ariss scoring the only goal.
"The shots on net were a little misleading. We had a lot of shots from the outside, we just couldn't bury," said Biette. "We just really struggled to get goals from that blue paint and if you're going to beat this team that collapses, that's where you have to score."
Things looked different in the second game, back in Estevan on Saturday. The Bruins scored three times in the opening period, chasing Notre Dame goalie Russell Abbott from the net. Lucas Stubel, Josh Jelinski and newly acquired defenceman Joel Kot all scored to give the Bruins a 3-0 lead after one period of play.
A short lapse in momentum, allowed the Hounds to get right back in the hockey game. They scored three goals in just over a minute to tie the game. When asked what was going through his mind at that point, Biette said he considered calling a time out, but decided against it.
"We hummed and hawed, but I'm glad we didn't call one. At the end of the day, we have a veteran club here and I was watching and listening to the bench, heads weren't dropping, and I was fine with keeping them going," he said.
With the game tied, Notre Dame reverted to their defence-first, 1-2-2 system, clogging up the neutral zone and keeping the Bruins shots to the outside. It made for ugly hockey, and not much happened in the third period, sending the game to overtime.
The Hounds had the best chance in extra frame, with Estevan goalie Joel Danyluk out of position, the hounds missed a wide open net. Since OT solved nothing, a shootout was needed to decide things.
In the shootout, the goalies stole the show, with neither allowing a single goal through five rounds of shooters. Finally in the sixth round, Bruins Rookie Ryan Ostertag beat Hounds keeper Matthew Smidt, giving Estevan a 4-3 win.
After the game, Biette said his club needs to learn to play a full 60 minutes, but gave full credit to the Hounds.
"Stifling defence. They just sit back and the problem is, our 'D' has to skate the puck. If we sit back and look for someone to pass to, all lanes are covered. Once we skate, they have to come to us and lanes start to open," he said.
The Bruins were also in action on Tuesday night against Melville at the Civic Auditorium. Game results were not available at press time. Their next game is on Friday in Yorkton at 7:30 p.m.
