The U18 AAA Estevan Bears are gearing up for a challenging weekend with back-to-back road games against the Moose Jaw Winmar Warriors. The team is coming off a hard-fought 4-2 loss to the Regina Pat Canadians on Thursday night.
Bears head coach Ryan Pilon said he was pleased with how his team performed, considering the circumstances.
“We went in with a depleted lineup because of injuries, and it was coming off a pretty emotional weekend here in Estevan after a big character win on Saturday,” Pilon said. “Given all that, I thought we handled it well.”
Pilon noted the Bears stayed competitive at even strength.“We were able to keep up with them five-on-five,” he said. “They’ve got some talented players, and the difference in the game came down to a couple of power-play goals.”
The Bears faced further adversity last weekend when Saturday’s game was stopped after Kayson Anderson suffered a broken tibia in the Jan. 18 matchup.
“It’s always tough to see a teammate, or one of your players, go down with an injury—especially one this serious,” Pilon said. “The guys were definitely shaken up.”
The game was paused and completed Sunday afternoon, with the Bears pulling out a win.
“The players embraced a next-man-up mentality,” Pilon said. “They regrouped, played hard, and got the job done on Sunday. Then, with more injuries added to the lineup, we went into Thursday’s game short-handed again.”
Pilon provided an update on Anderson’s condition.
“He’s doing as well as can be expected,” he said. “The surgery was successful—they were able to set the bone properly—and now he’s resting and focusing on his recovery.”
Pilon praised his team’s effort and determination through the challenges they’ve faced.
“Heading into this weekend, we’re up against strong competition,” he said. “It’s a tough stretch—three games against some of the top teams in the standings. But we’re focused on bringing the same work ethic and effort.”
With 11 games remaining in the regular season, Pilon said the Bears are determined to finish strong.
“This is the final push,” he said. “We want to hold our playoff spot and get ourselves ready for what’s ahead.”