Kuryachenkov Nets Hattrick and OT Winner against Blades
WHL Swift Current Broncos

Kuryachenkov Nets Hattrick and OT Winner against Blades

Published on January 17, 2026 under Western Hockey League (WHL)
Swift Current Broncos News Release


The Swift Current Broncos earned a much-needed measure of redemption on Saturday night, edging the Saskatoon Blades 4-3 in overtime at the InnovationPlex. The victory marked Swift Current's first win over the Blades this season and came less than 24 hours after a 4-2 loss to the same opponent on Friday.

The Broncos set the tone early with one of their strongest starts of the season. They came out flying in the opening period, controlling play and generating sustained pressure that paid off on the scoreboard. Stepan Kuryachenkov opened the scoring at 10:39, finishing a play set up by Trae Wilke and Hudson Darby. Kuryachenkov struck again just over five minutes later at 16:09, scoring his 10th goal of the season off a feed from Darby to give Swift Current a 2-0 lead.

The momentum continued moments later when Anthony Wilson added to the lead at 16:27, capping off a dominant first period that saw the Broncos take a 3-0 advantage into the intermission.

Saskatoon responded early in the second period, getting on the board with a power-play goal from Zach Olsen at 2:14. From there, the game settled into a tightly contested stretch, with both teams trading chances and pushing the pace. Despite the back-and-forth pressure, neither side was able to find the net again before the end of the period.

The Blades began to tilt the ice in their favour in the third period, gradually building momentum. Kazden Mathies pulled Saskatoon within one at 1:59, setting up a tense final frame. The Broncos remained composed defensively, turning aside wave after wave of Blades pressure, but Saskatoon's persistence paid off late. With the goalie pulled for an extra attacker, Cooper Williams scored at 19:21 to tie the game and force overtime.

Overtime featured end-to-end action as both teams traded rushes for the first three minutes. The turning point came when the Broncos earned a power play following an interference call against the Blades. Just 47 seconds later, Kuryachenkov completed a memorable night, burying the game-winning goal at 3:47 on the man advantage. The goal not only sealed the 4-3 win but also marked Kuryachenkov's first career WHL hattrick.

Saskatoon outshot Swift Current 32-27, including a 15-6 edge in the third period, but Broncos goaltender Archer Cooke stood tall, stopping 29 of 32 shots for an impressive performance. Swift Current went 1-for-3 on the power play, while the Blades finished 1-for-5. The Broncos also held a slight edge in the faceoff circle, winning draws 27-23.

With the overtime victory, the Broncos improve their record to 10-30-3-0 on the season, snapping their season-long drought against Saskatoon and earning a satisfying bounce-back win in front of the home crowd.

Check out the Swift Current Broncos Statistics

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Western Hockey League Stories from January 17, 2026


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