The Estevan Bruins dropped the first half of a home-and-home series against the Yorkton Terriers Tuesday with a 4-1 loss, their first in Spectra Place.
Jeremy Johnson paced the Terriers with two goals. Jamie Vlanich and Zak Majkowski also scored for the visitors.
Ben Johnstone had the Bruins' lone goal, a power play marker late in the second period.
Vlanich opened the scoring at the 15:17 mark of the first period on a 2-on-1, taking a feed from Ryon Sookro and tucking it under the crossbar.
It remained a one-goal game until late in the second, with Bruins goalie Brandon Stone - making his SJHL debut after being re-assigned by Moose Jaw last week - lunged at a loose puck and missed, leaving the net open for Johnson with 2:23 left in the frame.
Johnstone got that one back with 50 seconds to play in the period, taking a sharp pass from Michael Hengen on his way to the net and roofing it over the glove of Yorkton starter Kale Thomson.
But the Bruins failed to capitalize on Johnstone's second tally in as many games, surrendering a third marker to Majkowski two minutes into the third when Stone made a blocker save and his defencemen couldn't clear the rebound.
Johnson closed out the scoring off the rush at 7:31 when he snapped a quick shot that beat Stone to the far side.
Shots on goal were 38-34 for Estevan.
Recently acquired defenceman Connor Milligan also played his first game in a Bruins sweater.
