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WHL Swift Current Broncos

Broncos Fall to Tigers in Wild Pre-Season Affair in Medicine Hat

September 16, 2023 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Swift Current Broncos News Release


Medicine Hat, Alta. - Co-op Place in Medicine Hat was the scene of 17 total goals on Friday night as the Swift Current Broncos fell to the Medicine Hat Tigers 10-7 in their third pre-season game of the year.

While the score didn't come out the way the Broncos wanted, the team still wants to take away the positives in the pre-season.

"In the pre-season, I look at it as taking the positives out of it," said Assistant Coach Taras McEwen on the post-game show on The Eagle 94.1. "Obviously a high score, but just from our offensive side, we generated a lot, we've done some of the things we talked about, catching them in transition and did a good job in the offensive zone."

After falling behind 2-0 in the first, Mat Ward got the Broncos on the board, but that was followed by another Tiger goal to restore the two-goal separation. Ward would try and will the Broncos to a win in this hockey game as he scored again before the first period ended to bring things to 3-2.

The Broncos made it 3-3, thanks to Luke Mistelbacher, but Medicine Hat would retake the lead shortly after, but a shorthanded Mistelbacher goal made it 4-4 before things got out of hand. Four more unanswered goals from the Tigers made it 8-4 before six minutes had elapsed in the third period.

Ward would score his hat-trick goal about halfway through the third to make it 8-5, but then the teams traded markers after that as Rylan Gould and Parker Rondeau got on the scoresheet for Swift Current in the 10-7 defeat.

Along with Ward's three goals, the Kamloops product had two assists, Clarke Caswell and Luke Mistelbacher each had four points as well.

The teams would play a "overtime" frame as the teams got a chance to see things if it were to go to three-on-three overtime and it was Clarke Caswell scoring for the Broncos. The overtime was followed up by a three-person shootout where the Tigers won 1-0.

The Bronco powerplay went 1/7 in the contest, and only had one other powerplay chance in the pre-season. McEwen said their team just needs to get the reps in games on their powerplay.

"Game reps are completely different than practice reps," he said. "So, I think that's a big part of it, and also personnel. Some guys that are on the powerplay haven't had the experience the last couple years. So, those 17-year-olds turning 18, this is their first real time where their powerplay one and getting those reps.

The Broncos and Tigers wrap up their pre-season schedules on Saturday night when they do battle at the InnovationPlex in Swift Current.

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Western Hockey League Stories from September 16, 2023


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