The Kaukie Monster lived up to his name.
After being a dominant presence in his own end throughout the series, Tyler Kauk got it done at the other end, punching the Bruins' ticket to the SJHL quarter-finals by scoring 2:38 into overtime for a 4-3 win in Game 3 of the Sherwood Conference survivor series.
The win completed a three-game sweep over the Notre Dame Hounds and sets up a Weyburn-Estevan matchup in the next round for the first time since 1998.
On the winner, Tyler Paslawski fed Kauk at the top of the right faceoff circle and with Hounds tender Ty Reichenbach out of position (I didn't see what happened there), Kauk lofted the puck into a mostly empty net to send the Spectra Place crowd into an uproar.
The Bruins needed a late goal just to get to overtime. The game was tied 2-2 after 40 minutes, but Greg Ferguson put the Hounds ahead with 5:45 to go on a power play, beating Steven Glass on a wrister from the left side.
The home side responded quickly, though. Exactly one minute later, Dom Perrault floated a shot from the left point and it got through traffic and beat Reichenbach high stick side.
Paslawski nearly scored on the doorstep seconds later, and the Bruins got more chances to end it in regulation, especially after a penalty to Dylan Babe with 1:45 to go.
Paslawski had a big game, which included scoring the first goal only 1:43 into the first. Josh Jelinski streaked down the right side, sent a cross-ice pass to Paslawski in front and he scored stick side on Reichenbach, who got his first start of the series after Matt Smidt started the first two games.
Midway through the period, Hounds d-man Carson Grolla flew in from the point and ripped a wrister over Glass's blocker from the right circle to tie it up.
Catlin Foley would give the Hounds their first lead two minutes later. Two players were battling for the puck in the Notre Dame zone and it squirted out into the open. Austin Yano made a stab at it, missed, and Foley was off to the races, firing a shot off the left post and in.
The Bruins had a 47-second 5-on-3 earlier in the period but, not for the first time lately, didn't want to shoot the puck and got nothing on it.
Tyler Poskus tied it 2-2 midway through the second, pounding a point shot off the iron and past Reichenbach. The score remained that way after two, with the shots 26-19 for the Hounds.
Other notes:
-Derek Whitehill was at his best tonight at both ends. If there was an award for the most dangerous chances not scored on, it would have been him. He got 2 and 10 for a hit to the head early in the third and was definitely missed.
-Glass made some huge saves, but really seemed to struggle handling the puck tonight. There were a couple of turnovers, and a few other near misses. One of them came with about a minute left in the second. The puck bounced out into the crease and just hopped over Todd Christian's stick, otherwise it would have been a crucial goal for the Hounds.
-Seconds after that, the Bruins thought they had scored, but the goal was called back after it was ruled that the puck had entered the net from the side.
-Yano also had a tough time tonight, especially with the puck. That's not surprising for an 18-year-old with no playoff experience, though. These games are learning experiences. He's been remarkably steady all year.
-Late in the second, Glass's mask was knocked off by a shot. I don't think I've ever seen a mask come off where there wasn't even any contact.
This win, of course, sets up a Bruins-Wings playoff series for the first time in 14 years. I'm expecting an epic battle (and I don't mean it the way the kids say it) that will pack both rinks just about full. This series will be huge for both organizations financially as well.
Here is the schedule for that series (*if necessary):
Game 1: Est @ Wey, Friday, March 2
Game 2: Wey @ Est, Sunday, March 4
Game 3: Est @ Wey, Tuesday, March 6
Game 4: Wey @ Est, Wednesday, March 7
*Game 5: Est @ Wey, Friday, March 9
*Game 6: Wey @ Est, Sunday, March 11
*Game 7: Est @ Wey, Tuesday, March 13
Finally, interviews with OT hero Tyler Kauk, Dominic Perrault and Keith Cassidy:
