With only two wins in their first 15 games before Christmas, it was looking like a lost season for the Estevan TS&M Bruins.
But with a renewed focus on discipline and an injection of confidence, the bantam AA club went on a tear down the stretch, winning six of their last nine games to earn themselves a playoff spot in the Saskatchewan Bantam AA Hockey League.
"You always gotta have faith, and yeah, we got off to a rough start, but we just kept playing hockey and it just came to us," said Bruins captain Tanner Jeannot.
The Bruins scored 19 goals in two home games on the weekend to wrap up their regular season.
They hammered the Swift Current Raiders 9-4 on Saturday, then demolished the Regina Canucks 10-1 on Sunday. Both games were at the Civic Auditorium.
"I think just knowing that we're playing for our playoff lives kind of revealed some character in our room. The decision was there to continue to play hockey this year or fold the tent after this weekend," said head coach Dan Pratt.
"I think they sent a message not only to the parents and ourselves, but to themselves as well, what that team wants to do. They want to continue to play hockey.
"It wasn't just sneaking in with a couple goal lead or anything like that. It was a real statement, I think, by our club."
The Bruins (8-14-2) won a tie-breaker over the Canucks and Swift Current to finish sixth in the league. They will face third-place Melville in the first round. Dates were not available at press time but the series must be over by next Wednesday.
After a scoreless first period on Sunday, the Bruins scored four goals in the second, courtesy of Kaelan Holt, Bailey Lonsberry, Kyle Salaway and Tyran Brown.
Near the end of the second, there was an incident where some of the Bruins claimed Holt had been kicked by a Canucks player while down on the ice.
"They had a choice. It was a fork in the road moment: do you come out swinging your gloves or do you come out scoring goals?" said Pratt.
He singled out Salaway, Holt's longtime linemate, for his response to the incident. Salaway completed a hat trick and a five-point game in the third period.
Marc Shaw scored twice in the third, with Jeannot and Bryson Mayer adding goals. Jake Heerspink scored Regina's lone goal three minutes into the third.
Bruins goalie Carter Phair was not heavily tested, but made some clutch saves when the Canucks did press.
"He was very solid as far as making that first save and being responsible with his rebounds," said Pratt.
On Saturday, meanwhile, the Bruins came out flying with four goals in the first 10 minutes. They would take a 7-0 lead after two periods.
"Our coach talked to us before the game and said the best time to win a game is in the first period. So we got pumped up before the game and just went out there and worked hard," said Jeannot.
Brady Third, Talys Halabuza, Shaw and Cale Fleury scored for Estevan in the first period. Third, Holt and Shaw would add goals in the second.
Halabuza scored his second goal midway through the third, and Shaw completed his hat trick with four seconds left in regulation.
Cody Spagrud, Cole Keenleyside, Tanner Nagel and Marcus Kouri scored for Swift Current, all coming in the third period.
Pratt said playing disciplined hockey has been the biggest key to the team's second-half turnaround.
"We seem to have a lot of confidence right now with the way the boys have been playing. The biggest thing for us has been discipline, and when I say discipline, that's not just not taking penalties, but that's also shooting pucks at the net, not over, and playing our positions properly."
