The current season for the Eagle Sky Estevan Bruins can be summarized in one word: split.
That word seems to also be the result the black and gold picked up in its last few weekends, including the double-header homestand against the Humbolt Broncos. Estevan managed to pick up two out of a possible four points inside Affinity Place, winning Friday's match 3-2 and losing Saturday's rematch 5-2. There was a lot to like when watching the Bruins play Humboldt over the weekend, and there's a lot to look forward to in 2025. We chatted with the team's marketing director and play-by-play host Marty Martinson to break it all down.
Defence
Defence was both a strong point and the team's weakness when you look at each match side-by-side. On Friday night, their defensive strategy was on point, akin to building a wall in front of their recently acquired goalie Zach Shaughnessy. Any attempt that the Broncos tried in front of the Bruins' netminder was quickly responded to by the team. However, when you look at Saturday's match, it was lacking in some areas.
"They've shown some real good strong flashes kind of through this first half and a bit of the season schedule there. Again, just to both find a little bit more of that consistency for a full 60 minutes at times," shared Martinson. "
That said, the team has rallied around the new goalie. Martinson said that his show-stopping performance over the two games inspired confidence within the group.
Puck Possession
On the flip side, puck possession was a struggle for the Bruins for the first half of the season. That was not the case in these last two games. If the Bruins had the puck, the only time they were letting it go to the Broncos was if they were shooting it to the net. Passing play was strong as well, although fell below expectations on the Saturday match. Martinson chopped it up to the team having more time to mesh together as the season progressed.
"[There's] so many new faces this year, so it's been nice to see guys just continue to come together gel. So much of being able to play at a high level, at a fast pace, and control the puck is just being familiar with your linemates, with the guys around you."
"I think that only helps. Just knowing where your teammates are going to be, playing with those same guys there game after game really allows you to build that rapport. When you know where guys are going to be and you're familiar with each other's games, it just makes things a lot easier. You know where your guy's going to be, you know where he likes the puck. I think that's been a real positive there as well. It's been good to see kind of that camaraderie and that familiarity just continue to grow within the group there," Martinson recalled.
The new netminder
After his strong debut this past weekend, Zach Shaughnessy should be stuck in Bruins fans' minds and hearts. He was strong in between the pipes, blocking 35 out of 37 shots on Friday and 31 out of 36 shots on Saturday, respectively. His playstyle is bold, to say the least. He was seen diving for the puck to keep the play alive for Estevan a few too many times between both matches, which created a couple of scoring chances for Humboldt. Martinson said that the risky decisions he was making on the ice were just part of Shaughnessy's charm.
"I thought he made a couple of real nice plays there too, stepping out to play that puck. It's always a little bit of a gamble there when you're leaving the crease area. At the same time, he had that one where he stepped out and picked up the puck, fired it right up to Kent Moores on the tape, but it was a breakout clean out of his own there [and] beat the forechecks."
Shaughnessy has some chops, according to Martinson. The 6-foot-2, 174-pound goalie from Surrey, B.C. spent the last three seasons with the Delta Ice Hawks. He led the Hawks to a championship back in 2023, boasting a 1.49 GAA and an eye-watering .940 SV% during the run.
"It's been no surprise to see him step right in. I mean 35 saves on the 37 shots in his debut - awesome to see him get the win in that one. I talked to him as a player profile heading into that first game and [he's] just a great guy there. He's excited to be a part of things here. And yeah, just fitting in like a glove with this team, so I'm excited to see his potential here with this group," Martinson added.
You can learn more about Zach Shaughnessy and his career before the Bruins here.
The road is treacherous ahead for the Eagle Sky Estevan Bruins. According to the standings, there could be a three-way race to secure the 8th spot in the playoffs between the Humboldt Broncos (8th in the league), the La Ronge Ice Wolves (9th in the league), and the Bruins (10th in the league). The team has earned a well-deserved break, but the grind will continue in the new year. Estevan will be on the road to face the Yorkton Terriers on January 3rd, their first game after the break. The next day, it's another round of the Highway 39 rivalry when the Weyburn Red Wings head to Affinity Place.