The Estevan Bruins appeared ready to skate to a surprisingly easy victory over the Nipawin Hawks on Wednesday, April 18. They pulled off the win, but nothing about it turned out to be easy.

Estevan got goals from four different players, staking them to a 4-0 lead before the game was halfway over, but watched the lead erode as Nipawin fought their way back before Zach Goberis finally salted the game away with an empty-net tally.

Kaelan Holt began the scoring just 1:50 into the game on the power play as he darted into the Hawks zone, cut wide on the defence and ripped a shot high-glove on Declan Hobbs. The Bruins power play didn't wait long to strike again, as captain Jake Fletcher took a pass from behind the net at 4:27 of the first period and blasted it over Hobbs’ glove to make it 2-0.

The Bruins secondary scoring got the goals started in the second as Tyler Hengen took a drop pass from Hayden Guilderson, stepped in and sniped his first of the playoffs. Then, before the midway mark of the period. Michael McChesney found himself alone at the top of the blue paint and quickly elevated a backhand shot bar-down.

The goal ended Hobbs' night for the first time in the playoffs, but it also lit a fire under the Nipawin Hawks as Logan Casavant and Michael Grant struck before the period was over to make it 4-2. Then, late in the third, Josh McDougal brought the visitors back within one with a clever wrist shot from the point.

Estevan suddenly found themselves in a one-goal game and to make matters worse saw Jake Heerspink head off on a roughing minor. But just when it seemed the Hawks would again force overtime, Goberis had a try at the empty net and found the bull's eye to end the scoring.

The series is now tied at two games apiece and will resume on Friday night in Nipawin before returning to Estevan for game six on Sunday night.

GAME NOTES

Zach Goberis’ empty-netter was his tenth goal of the playoffs, tying him for the league lead with Brandan Arnold. Jake Fletcher is tied for second with nine. Kaelan Holt is second in playoff scoring to Arnold with 19 points, trailing the Hawks sniper by two.

Michael McChesney's goal was his first point since game one, ending his first pointless streak in the playoffs. He sits with eight goals and eight assists in 13 games.

Jake Heerspink picked up his ninth assist of the playoffs, which leaves him second on the Bruins and second among all defensemen. Josh McDougal leads the way with 12

With game six now guaranteed, this is certain to be the longest series of the Canalta Cup Playoffs.