After winning seven of eight straight games and battling for the Sherwood Conference lead, the Eagle Drilling Estevan Bruins have been struggling of late, and have dropped four straight.
"It's definitely something we have to address. I think the biggest thing that I've seen over the last three games is at times our work ethic hasn't matched that of our opponents," said Bruins coach Karry Biette, who added when that happens in this league, you're going to get beat more often than not.
At 14-9-2-1, Estevan is still in second place, but has fallen 11 points back of conference leading Yorkton, and is just three points ahead of third-placed Kindersley. While Yorkton has played five more games than the Bruins, they have been able to defeat them head-to-head three out of four times this season.
The most recent of the contests was played at the Civic Auditorium last Tuesday. In what was a rather sloppy game by both clubs, the Terriers were able to score a pair of first period goals, and then hold on to edge the Bruins 2-1.
The Yorkton tallies came just under three minutes apart late in the opening period. At the 15:40 mark, Zak Majkowski fired a wrist shot past Bruins goalie Joel Danyluk on the power play, and then Keon Vick was able to make it 2-0 from a terrible angle at the side of the net on a shot that Danyluk would undoubtedly want back.
Justin Waskewitch was able to get Estevan within one in the third period, as he beat Yorkton goalie Devin Peters with a wrist-shot from the top of the circle, but the Terriers were able to hang on for the one-goal victory.
"I thought we could have shown a little more desperation in front of their net, but to be fair Peters had a pretty good game and we played OK," Biette said.
Coming off the home loss, the Bruins had a few days to rest before making the trip down Highway 39 to Weyburn for a Saturday night tilt with the Red Wings. Estevan started well and held a 2-1 lead after two periods of play, but Weyburn was able to score four times in the third to win 5-2.
Bruins captain Troy Hunter provided both of his club's goals, the first shorthanded just 1:26 into the game, and the second on the power play with just over seven minutes remaining in the opening frame. After a scoreless second period, Weyburn came storming back with four unanswered markers, including an empty netter to win 5-2.
"We just kind of got outworked in the third period don't like to see that and we'll try and fix it," Biette said.
The Bruins will try to end the four-game slide tonight when they host Kindersley at 7:30. After that they will head to Weyburn once again, this time for the 2010 SJHL Showcase. On Friday, Estevan will lock horns with Melville at 2 p.m., before taking on the Red Wings Sunday evening at 7:30.
