ESTEVAN - The Estevan Great North U18 AAA Bears dropped back-to-back home games against the Saskatoon Blazers – the reigning champions in the Saskatchewan U18 AAA Hockey League.
Up first was a 6-3 loss to the Blazers on Friday night. The Blazers led 3-1 after the first period, with Talen Wallis scoring for Estevan.
Estevan outscored the Blazers 2-1 in the second, as Wallis notched his second of the game and Evhan Allan also scored for Estevan. The Blazers pulled away with two in the third.
Ty Fehrenbach stopped 17 shots for the Bears. Estevan outshot the Blazers 51-23, including a combined 40-14 in the final two periods.
The second game was a 6-1 setback for the Bears on Saturday afternoon. Saskatoon led 1-0 after the first period, thanks in part to a spectacular save by Saskatoon's Madex Kabrud off of Estevan's Cameron Allard late in the first after Saskatoon had opened the scoring.
The Blazers piled it on in the second, scoring four times, including twice in the final four minutes of the frame. Chase Holt scored the Bears' lone goal of the day with 16 seconds to play in the second period.
The Blazers added one more early in the third.
Cole Ivey stopped 18 of the 24 shots he faced for Estevan.
The Bears (9-7-2) will visit the Yorkton Maulers on Nov. 15, and the Tisdale Trojans on Nov. 18 and 19.