ESTEVAN - The Estevan Eclipse Downhole Solutions U18 AAA Bears hockey club finished the pre-Christmas portion of their schedule with a win and a loss in Saskatoon on the weekend.
The Bears scored three times in the final 8 1/2 minutes of the third period in a 6-4 victory over the Saskatoon Contacts on Saturday night. It was the Bears’ second straight road win over the Contacts this month.
Local product Carter Onrait scored twice, including the game winner with 5:06 to play in the third period.
Estevan led 2-0 midway through the first period on goals by Carson Birnie and Onrait. The Contacts scored twice to tie the game at twos after the first period.
It was a 3-3 game after two periods, with Tucker Buhay scoring for Estevan in the middle frame.
Saskatoon took a 4-3 lead early in the third, but goals by Blaze Gutzke, Onrait and Daniel Ganert lifted Estevan to the win.
Jackson Miller stopped 19 of the 23 shots he faced.
The Bears then lost a 5-2 decision to the Saskatoon Blazers on Sunday. Caden Drury scored in the first period to give the Bears a 1-0 lead, but the Blazers scored twice in less than a minute for a 2-1 advantage, and added one in the second for a 3-1 gap.
Carter Tuplin scored for the Bears in the third, but the Blazers would get two more, including an empty net goal with two seconds to play.
Kaden Perron made 33 saves for Estevan.
Earlier in the week, Estevan lost 8-1 to the Notre Dame Hounds in Wilcox. Marshall Light had Estevan’s lone goal.
Miller stopped 37 of the 45 shots he faced.
The Bears (9-16-0-5) will return to the ice Jan. 8 and 9, 2022, when they host the Battlefords Stars.
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The Estevan Apex U18 AA Bruins won their lone game on the weekend, a 4-1 decision over the Weyburn Wings.
The game was tied at 1-1 after the first period, with Mason Fichter scoring for Estevan. Spencer Copeland and James Mann scored in the second for the Bruins for a 3-1 lead, and Mann added his second of the game in the third period to finish the scoring.
Ty Fehrenbach made 15 saves for the victory.
The Bruins (19-3-1) will close out the pre-Christmas portion of their schedule Monday when they visit the Prairie Storm in Emerald Park.
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The Estevan TS&M U15 AA Bruins played their final game before Christmas Friday in a 9-2 home ice loss to the Swift Current Broncos, the top team in the South Division.
Hayden Terrett scored for Estevan on a power play 3:33 into the first period to open the scoring, but Swift Current replied before the first period was out. The Broncos scored four times in each of the second and third periods, while Estevan would get a goal from Conrad Hase.
Chase Borreson made 36 saves for Estevan.
Estevan (1-17) will host the Weyburn Wings on Jan. 2 at 2:30 p.m. at Affinity Place.
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The Estevan Meter U13 AA Bruins swept a weekend double-header against the visiting Melville Millionaires.
Estevan won the opening game 8-6 on Saturday. Boston Tait and Austin Merkley each scored twice for Estevan. Nathan Gardiner, Jayden Chernoff, Broden Henry and Cameron Milbrandt had the other Estevan goals.
Myles Lequyer stopped 39 of the 45 shots he faced in the win.
Estevan then defeated Melville 7-4 on Sunday. Tait led the offensive attack with three goals and three assists, while Nathan Gardiner had two goals and three helpers.
Riley Gigian and Milbrandt had the other Estevan goals.
Easton Pushie stopped 27 shots in the victory.
Estevan (10-3) will host Melville again on Jan. 8 at 2:15 p.m.
