Ryan Andersen had a hat trick in the third period to lead the Eagle Drilling Estevan Bruins to a come from behind 5-3 win over Melville at the Civic Auditorium last night.
Melville carried the play in the opening period, taking a 1-0 lead with the game just four minutes old when Michael Rogoschewsky beat Joel Danyluk from the side of the net. The Bruins escaped the first only trailing by one, thanks to Danyluk standing on his head.
Estevan tied the game in the second period when Mark Cross roofed the puck over Melville goalie Kyle Jahraus' shoulder from the top of the crease for his second goal of the season.
Some late second period penalty trouble came back to bite the Bruins in the opening minute of the third. The Mils took advantage of a five-on-three power play, scoring just 35 seconds into the third and then again on a five-on-four, 21 seconds later to make it 3-1.
Melville held onto that lead until halfway through the final period, when Andersen potted his first two goals of the evening to tie the game once again. Troy Hunter then gave the Bruins their first lead of the game with just over a minute remaining.
And Andersen sealed the victory by completing the hat trick into an empty net with 17 seconds left on the clock.
With the 5-3 win, the Bruins improve to 4-1 on the season. Their next game is on the road in Yorkton on Friday at 7:30 p.m.