ESTEVAN - The Estevan Bruins scored three times in each of the first and third periods to trounce the Nipawin Hawks 7-2 Wednesday night at Affinity Place.
Eric Pearce opened the scoring four minutes into the first period, and added another goal seven minutes later for a 2-0 Estevan advantage. Keagon Little extended the lead a few minutes later.
A goal by Carson Dobson with 30 seconds to play in the first period put the Hawks on the board and gave the visitors some life. Christian Albertson’s goal early in the second pulled the Hawks to within one.
Little’s second of the game midway through the second restored the Bruins’ two-goal advantage.
Nipawin had chances to score after Little’s second marker, and the Hawks had a four-minute power play late in the second and early in the third, but it would be the Bruins who had the best chances to score during the extended man advantage with a couple of breakaways.
Mark Rumsey, Mitch Kohner and Billy Sowa scored 3:20 apart in the opening seven minutes of the third to put the game away.
Boston Bilous stopped 19 of the 21 shots he faced for Estevan. Chase Hamm stopped 25 of 32 shots, and was replaced by Harmon Laser-Hume, who stopped all seven shots he faced.
Estevan (32-7-1-3) will host the Flin Flon Bombers on Friday night at Affinity Place. Game time will be 7:30 p.m.
