Broncos Win Fifth Straight, Down Blades 5-4 in Shootout
January 7, 2023 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Swift Current Broncos News Release
Swift Current, Sask. - Swift Current Broncos (17-15-0-1) goaltender Reid Dyck stepped up when it mattered most, stopping two great scoring chances for the Saskatoon Blades (25-6-2-1) in overtime before denying all three shooters to seal a 5-4 win for the Broncos Friday night.
Saskatoon jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the late stages of the first period. After some scrambly play near the Broncos net, the puck ended up behind the goal and was centred by Vaughn Watterodt and Charlie Wright fired it past Dyck.
Swift Current was able to shake off the goal and pull even before the period was up. Adam McNutt fired a slap pass through centre for Mathew Ward who was streaking down the left wing, and Ward fended off the check of Tanner Molendyk before beating Ethan Chadwick past the blocker with just 1:07 left in the period. It was Ward's 14th goal of the season.
The two teams went into the intermission tied at one with shots 10-8 in favour of Swift Current.
A huge moment of the game came a little over halfway through the second period. With the Broncos already shorthanded, Swift Current was called for too many men on the ice after Ward intercepted a Blades pass at centre, giving Saskatoon a 1:21 five-on-three.
On the two-man advantage, Connor Roulette knocked a puck away from Dyck as he went to cover it before pulling it around the goaltender and tucking it into the net, giving the Blades a 2-1 lead with 6:34 left in the period.
Saskatoon remained on the power play for 1:32 following the goal, and would add to their lead just moments after it expired. Tanner Molendyk wound up for a slapshot through some traffic to give the Blades a 3-1 lead with 4:55 remaining in the second.
Much like in the first, the Broncos responded late in the period. Raphael Pelletier recovered a dump in below the goal line, skated out to the side of the net and slid the puck across the crease for Brady Birnie to cut the lead in half with 33 seconds to go.
The Broncos went into the intermission trailing 3-2, but took over in the third period.
Swift Current went to the power play 3:21 into the third when Lukas Hanson was called for a faceoff violation, using his glove to sweep the puck back off the draw.
On the power play, Clarke Caswell found Birnie on the goal line and he quickly centred to Caleb Wyrostok who chipped it over the glove of Chadwick, scoring his ninth of the year to tie the game at three just 4:42 into the period. The goal also snapped a stretch of 22 straight penalties killed off by the Blades.
Swift Current carried the majority of play in the third period, not allowing a shot on goal until nearly 10 minutes in and outshooting the Blades 15-3 overall.
As the clock ticked down the Broncos took their first lead of the night. McNutt sent the puck to Pelletier who then found Josh Filmon streaking down the slot, pulling the puck to his backhand and beating Chadwick glove side for his 24th of the season. The goal came with just 3:59 left in regulation.
The Blades pulled Chadwick for the extra attacker with three minutes to go, and were eventually given a power play on a hooking call with under two minutes to go. Wasting no time, just eight seconds into the power play Egor Sidorov blasted a one timer past Dyck from the right circle, tying the game at four with 1:45 left.
In overtime, Dyck made a sensational stop on a one timer from Sidorov, and later denied Aidan De La Gorgendiere in tight to get the game to a shootout.
Filmon went first, and pulled the one-handed move by getting Chadwick to slide to his right before pulling the puck across his body and sliding it into the net with one hand to give the Broncos the early advantage.
After the next four shooters were stopped, Trevor Wong jumped over the boards to try and keep the game alive, but Dyck shut the door to seal a 5-4 victory for the Broncos, their fifth straight win.
The Broncos now hit the road tomorrow night to take on the Medicine Hat Tigers (14-18-5-1).
Announced attendance was 1,848.
Western Hockey League Stories from January 7, 2023
- Chiefs Clean Up Penalty Kill, But Fall Short In 2-1 Loss To Vancouver Saturday Night - Spokane Chiefs
- G-Men Take Down Chiefs 2-1 - Vancouver Giants
- T-Birds Bitten by Moose Jaw - Seattle Thunderbirds
- Broncos Score Five Unanswered In 6-4 Win Over Tigers - Swift Current Broncos
- Rockets Fall to Blazers - Kelowna Rockets
- Royals Wrap-Up Road Swing with 6-4 Loss to Americans - Victoria Royals
- Warriors Cruise Past Thunderbirds on Saturday - Moose Jaw Warriors
- Blades Return to Win Column with Dominant 6-2 vs Rebels - Saskatoon Blades
- Tigers Drop 6-4 Contest to Broncos - Medicine Hat Tigers
- Oil Kings Win a Thriller in Lethbridge - Edmonton Oil Kings
- Cougars Upend Silvertips with 3-1 Win in Prince George - Everett Silvertips
- Raiders Take Down Wheat Kings Saturday Night - Brandon Wheat Kings
- Raiders Explode Offensively In 6-2 Win Over Wheat Kings - Prince Albert Raiders
- Marek Alscher Joins Winterhawks in Winnipeg - Portland Winterhawks
- Bedard Returns to the Lineup Sunday vs. Calgary - Regina Pats
- Bedard Returns to the Lineup Sunday vs. Calgary - Regina Pats
- Pats Trade Armstrong to Winnipeg for Harmacy - Regina Pats
- Chiefs Host Vancouver Giants Saturday for Second Time this Season - Spokane Chiefs
- ICE Acquire Armstrong - Winnipeg Ice
- Game Day Preview January 7 vs Swift Current - Medicine Hat Tigers
- Thunderbirds Acquire Colton Dach from the Kelowna Rockets - Seattle Thunderbirds
- Rockets Move Dach And A Pick To T-Birds For Players And Picks - Kelowna Rockets
- Cougars Drop First Game of 2023 to Everett - Prince George Cougars
- Preview: Americans Look to Bounce Back from OT Loss - Tri-City Americans
- Giants Down Americans in Overtime - Tri-City Americans
- T-Birds Extend Winning Streak in Regina - Seattle Thunderbirds
- Rockets Win 3-2 Over Blazers - Kelowna Rockets
- Giants Win 3-2 in OT Friday Night - Vancouver Giants
- Scott, Almquist Each Score Twice As Royals Roll To 6-3 Win Over Chiefs - Victoria Royals
- May Records First WHL Victory in 3-2 Tigers' Triumph Over Oil Kings - Medicine Hat Tigers
- Chiefs Struggle to Build Momentum, Lose to Victoria 6-3 - Spokane Chiefs
- Hofer Nets Two as Tips Top Cougars 4-2 - Everett Silvertips
- Warriors Fall to Calgary in Tight Game - Moose Jaw Warriors
- Wheat Kings Travel to Prince Albert Saturday - Brandon Wheat Kings
- Blades Earn Point in Third Straight Game - Saskatoon Blades
- Broncos Win Fifth Straight, Down Blades 5-4 in Shootout - Swift Current Broncos
- Oil Kings Drop Narrow One-Goal Game to Medicine Hat - Edmonton Oil Kings
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