The Weyburn Red Wings built a 3-0 lead after two periods and hung on for a 4-2 win over the Estevan Bruins on Friday in Weyburn.
Jack Kennelly, Jesse Ross, Coltyn Sanderson and Thomas Carleton scored for the Wings, who will visit the Bruins Saturday in the second leg of the home-and-home series.
Ryan Ostertag got the Bruins on the board early in the third period, but the Wings would respond just 39 seconds later on a Carleton goal. Dylan Smith scored Estevan's second goal midway through the period.
The loss kept the Bruins (16-11) in third place in the Sherwood Conference, one point behind the Melville Millionaires, who lost on Friday, and five behind Weyburn.