"All the best goaltenders at this level or the NHL, it doesn't matter what level you're at. The best goaltenders are the ones who say 'Hey, maybe I let in a tough goal here. Hey, maybe tonight wasn't my night, but you better believe I'm coming back tomorrow and I'm shutting the door and I'm not letting any more by me.' And for Polhill, I mean, he showed that," expressed play-by-play host Marty and marketing director for the Estevan Bruins Marty Martinson.
Redemption is the best word to describe the last couple of games for the Eagle Sky Estevan Bruins. The home team shut the door on the Battleford North Stars inside Affinity Place, walking away with a 3-2 win on Friday and a 1-0 overtime win on Saturday, respectively. A big reason for the team's wins was Bruins goalie Benjamin Polhill, who's been recognized as the SJHL MVP of the Week.
Polhill made 32 saves on Friday's matchup, while on Saturday, he didn't let any of the Stars' 30 shots get through. His performance netted him a .969 save percentage between the two games.
"He's been a battler all year long and still just 18 years of age. Boy, this guy's got a real bright future," Martinson added.
Polhill was tasked to be the starting goalie for the black-and-gold very recently after the BCHL's Victoria Grizzlies nabbed Kyle Kelsey. Martinson said the netminder has responded to the call with everything he's got. "To see him get rewarded the MVP of the week, I mean, a .969 save percentage over the two games there, I'd say it's definitely well-deserved there. Certainly for him, a real confidence booster, I gotta think, moving forward into another big weekend here ahead. He's playing his best and his teammates believe in him, and that's all you can ask from your goaltender. Give you a chance every day, every game -- and he's been doing that here for this Bruins team."
"Anytime you're coming into a league like the SJHL where the competition is so fierce, like we talked about, any team can win on any given night."
"To [see us] score that goal in overtime was awesome and it doesn’t get any better than that, scoring the teddy bear toss goal in overtime. The group’s really coming together and now we’ve just got to keep it rolling into next weekend,” Polhill shared in an article on the team's website.
The Bruins have yet another tough weekend ahead of them. On Friday night, the Carlyle Sports Arena will serve as the neutral location for their matchup against the Notre Dame Hounds. Saturday night will see the Highway 39 Rivalry shift back to Affinity Place when the black and gold host the Weyburn Red Wings. Puck drops for both games are slated for 7:00 p.m.