SASKATOON - The Estevan Great North U18 AAA Bears are facing elimination from the Saskatchewan Male AAA Hockey League's postseason.
Facing the Saskatoon Blazers, the Bears lost 4-1 on Saturday night and 4-0 on Sunday afternoon to open the best-of-five first-round series between the two teams. Both games were played in Saskatoon.
Dayne Beuker, who was the top scorer in the league this season as a rookie, opened the scoring in Game 1 with 26 seconds to play in the first period. Cohen Harris doubled the lead in the second.
Carnduff's Gunner Moore scored the first-ever postseason goal in Bears' history on a power play with 8:40 to play in the second period.
Goals by Raiden Zacharias and Caine Wilke in the third put Game 1 out of reach. Wilke's goal was into an empty net. Zacharias added two assists for a three-point game.
Kaden Perron made 40 saves for Estevan, while Grayson Malinoski had 20 saves for the Blazers.
In Game 2, Saskatoon jumped out to a 1-0 advantage four minutes into the first on a goal by Cooper Ernewein, and doubled the lead when Preston Baerwald scored. Dayton Deschamps and Carter Ralston tallied 20 seconds apart in the second for a four-goal advantage.
Perron made 19 saves for Estevan, while Malinoski stopped 30 shots for Saskatoon to get the shutout.
The Blazers are the defending league champions and had the top record in the 2023-24 regular season at 34-7-3, although one of their regulation losses was against the Bears in December. The Bears finished eighth with an 18-19-7 mark and 43 points, and made the playoffs for the first time in their three full seasons. .
Estevan will have their first postseason home game in franchise history on March 6 at 7:30 p.m. at Affinity Place. Game 4, if necessary, would be the next night at 7:45 p.m., also at Affinity Place. Game 5 would be March 10 in Saskatoon.
