"I look at this group as a real positive group, you know. Like, it could be easy to get down and think, 'Oh boy, there we go! This is just not our year.' but that hasn't been my indication at all, just being around this group every day."
Resiliency is key to any hockey team, especially when they're experiencing a slump like what the Eagle Sky Estevan Bruins are facing right now. Play-by-play host and marketing director, Marty Martinson, spends the majority of his day with the team, and he sees the effort they are contributing.
"You still see them at practice. They're working hard. You know, this is a confident group. They know that they're going to come around their stride," he added.
The black-and-gold are sitting well below where they need to be for a playoff consideration. Estevan is currently second to last this season, holding onto a 5-9-2-1 record for 13 points. At the time of writing, they've lost four out of the last five games they've played. If there's one thing that the Bruins need to work on this season, Martinson says it has to be consistency. "When they're clicking, when they're at their best, when they're hitting their man on the tape and, you know, it's good passing, it's smart heads-up plays, there's a real heck of a hockey team here. It's just about finding that consistency to bring it for a full 60 minutes."
Their competition ahead is the Battleford North Stars as they're set to visit Affinity Place for a doubleheader weekend match. Battleford is the inverse of Estevan right now, boasting a third-place league placement with a 13-6-1-0 record in the season.
"There's no easy game, and even this weekend, the Battleford North Stars on the docket - there's a third-place team in the weekend's action. So it's going to be another great matchup here. It's going to be a great challenge for this group, but I also think that's what you want. Competitors, you want to face the best every night. You want to play these upper-echelon teams. For the Bruins, they have an excellent opportunity here to really kind of build on a little bit of momentum and get things rolling back in their direction."
So how does the team plan on beating the third-best team in the SJHL? Marty thinks the team will lean on their intensity on the ice. "Playing that physical brand of hockey. It's an easy thing to forget too, but it's not always just goal scoring or shot creation that garners momentum. It's that physical brand of hockey as well that can really turn the tide of momentum in a hockey game."
He mentioned forwards like Brady Wilson and Hayden Pimm who brings energy to the team every night. On the back end, Martinson called out defenceman Bo Doxtator, who he says is a physical force to be reckoned with. Jagden Taylor, a new addition to the team who's a fast skater for the Bruins, brings a brute-force approach on the ice as well. "When this team is at their best, they're playing that physical brand of hockey - it's been good to see. [It's] definitely something to keep an eye on moving forward for this group."
Friday and Saturday's games will mark the first time the Estevan Bruins face the Battleford North Stars. Martinson has become familiar with both teams, as he was the opponent's play-by-play host for seven seasons. When asked who he'll be internally cheering for, he was (jokingly) a little hesitant to claim his allegiance to one team or the other.
"Well, definitely some great memories there in the Battlefords. But I'm just looking forward to some great hockey being played here. Obviously, this Bruins team, [it] would be great to see them get off their schneid a little bit here [and] get back on the winning track. It's always a good time to see some of those old friends again. For the Bruins, it'll be a challenge here. It's going to be a great night."
This weekend's slate of games in Affinity Place will also feature community organizations raising funds for their cause. Friday night is in support of the PJ Project for the Estevan Kinettes, where they'll be selling pyjamas for $10 a piece. They will also be accepting cash donations on-site. Saturday features the Teddy Bear Toss Night in support of the Estevan Salvation Army. Fans are encouraged to bring a teddy bear to throw onto the ice as soon as the Bruins score their first goal. Puck drop for both games is slated for 7:00 p.m.