ESTEVAN - The Estevan Apex U18 AA Bruins have taken a 1-0 series lead in the best-of-five South Division final with the Regina Vics.
Regina opened the scoring in the first period, but Sutter Baily and Ryker Mathison replied for Estevan before the period was out. Mathison’s goal came with 34 seconds to play.
Carter Beck’s goal with 97 seconds left in the second period put Estevan up by two after 40 minutes.
Conrad Hase scored 1:50 into the third for a 4-1 Estevan lead, but Regina tallied three times in the third, including twice in the final three minutes, to tie the game.
Kobe Wotta’s power-play goal 2:41 into overtime lifted Estevan to the victory. It was the Bruins’ third power-play goal of the night.
Ty Fehrenbach made 24 saves for Estevan.
Game 2 will be played Tuesday night in Regina.
Estevan and the Vics are meeting in the south final for the second straight year. The winner will advance to the Saskatchewan AA Hockey League’s U18 final, which is also the provincial final.
