ESTEVAN - The defending SJHL champions have punched their ticket for the postseason.
The Estevan Bruins scored three times in the third period to defeat the Yorkton Terriers 4-2 on Saturday night at Affinity Place. A short time after the game ended, the Battlefords North Stars wrapped up a 6-2 victory over the Notre Dame Hounds, securing the Bruins’ postseason berth.
Estevan (26-21-3-2) has 57 points with four games remaining. Notre Dame (17-25-4-2) sits ninth with 40 points and eight games remaining. The most the Hounds can finish with is 56 points.
Yorkton struck first in Saturday’s game on a goal by Brett Butz late in the first period. Estevan had chances to score, and hit a couple of posts, but couldn’t convert on their opportunities.
Defenceman Owen Miley tied the game early in the second after pinching in from the point and converting a rebound from a Cody Davis shot.
Jagjeevan Phangura put the Bruins ahead 44 seconds into the third period on a 5-on-3 powerplay. Owen Barrow doubled the lead less than three minutes later on an impressive individual rush.
Greg Nelson scored for Yorkton midway through the third to pull the Terriers to within one, but Cody Davis put the game away with the 4-2 goal. It was the third chance after Davis had a breakaway.
Cam Hrdlicka made 35 saves for the Bruins, while Yorkton’s Cody Allen stopped 34 of the shots he faced.
The Bruins will be back on the ice Thursday night when they visit the Hounds. The Terriers’ next game will be Tuesday night at home against the Flin Flon Bombers, starting at 7 p.m.
