The Estevan Bruins played their most important game of the year on Friday, April 20, but by their own admission, the effort didn’t match the occasion.
 
The Nipawin Hawks scored three times in the first two periods and locked it down in the third, limiting the Bruins to just four third period shots and winning game five of the best-of-seven series by a 3-1 count. 
 
There was no early indication of the difficult night ahead of the Bruins. Indeed they got off to an excellent start. Just 2:24 into the first period, Zach Goberis shrugged off Brandan Arnold, strong-arming his way past the Hawks sniper below the goal line, and fed a pass out front to Michael McChesney. McChesney rifled a shot low-blocker on Declan Hobbs for his ninth of the playoffs and second in as many games. Arthur Miller also added an assist on the play.
 
With the Bruins big guns firing early, it looked promising for the black and gold clad visitors. That promise went nowhere fast, however, as the Hawks evened the score on the power play midway through the first and never looked back. Josh McDougal settled an awkward pass down at the left point and ripped a quick-release wrist shot to the top corner through traffic.
 
The Hawks struck early in the second off dominant cycle work, hemming the Bruins in and refusing to surrender the puck before handing it out front to Chad McCartney. McCartney let the puck go and found the tiniest of gaps between Bo Didur and the post to make it 2-1 with his first of the playoffs. 
 
The Bruins were gift-wrapped an opportunity to tie the game as Arnold took his second goaltender interference minor of the night and was ejected. Even though their leading scorer was gone, however, the Hawks pressed ahead. They killed the minor easily, and with just 5.3 seconds left in the second, they added the third and final goal. 
 
Off a similar cycle to the first goal of the period, the puck found its way back to the point. Gage Miskey let the shot go through traffic and again beat a screened Didur to secure the Hawks two-goal lead and round out the scoring.
 
The Bruins failed to mount any sort of attack in the third, mustering no quality chances. Nipawin clogged up the neutral zone with bodies and sticks and denied the Bruins clean zone entries time and again, slowing the game down to a crawl. Boring as the style of hockey was, it delighted the fans, who went home happy as their team took the win.
 
Estevan now trails the series three games to two and head home with their season on the line. Game six begins at 7:30 on Sunday night at what will again be a sold-out Affinity Place. 
 
GAME NOTES
 
Michael McChesney scored in back-to-back games for the first time since April 2 and 3 in Estevan in round two against Battlefords. He now has nine goals on the postseason, good enough for second on the Bruins. 
 
The Bruins game total of 21 shots on goal was their lowest of the playoffs. They surrendered 30 shots against, which was also Nipawin’s lowest total of the finals. 
 
The loss was just the second road loss of the playoffs for Estevan. Both have come in Nipawin.