Major Penalties Hurt Broncos in Overtime Loss to Broncos
December 30, 2023 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Swift Current Broncos News Release
Swift Current, Sask. - The Swift Current Broncos scratched and clawed for a point on Saturday night in Swift Current in a 5-4 overtime loss to the Red Deer Rebels.
It was a back-and-forth game that saw the two teams trade goals through two periods. Frantisek Formanek scored less than a minute into the hockey game, but Caleb Wyrostok scored a buzzer beater with 0.2 seconds to go in the first to tie the game.
Ollie Josephson scored less than a minute into the second period, but Josh Filmon responded later for the Broncos and it was tied 2-2 after two.
Brady Birnie gave Swift Current their first lead of the game about halfway through the third, but the Rebels responded with a powerplay goal from Kai Uchacz on one of the five-minute powerplays they had to tie it up. Carson Birnie gave the Rebels the lead two-and-a-half minutes later. Filmon scored again for the Broncos with just 18 seconds left in the third period to force overtime.
Broncos Interim Head Coach Taras McEwen said it was good to see the team bounce back after the goal to give Red Deer the lead again.
"Happy with our ability to respond there after a tough break late in the game," he said. "I've liked our ability to do that here over the last few weeks."
Then, less than a minute into overtime, Uchacz lifted one over the shoulder of Matthew Kieper to win it for Red Deer.
While the Broncos had to kill of five powerplays in the hockey game, there were two five minute powerplays, and they only gave up one goal. McEwen said it showed some development from a penalty kill that has struggled at times.
"We killed the penalties off which is important," McEwen said. "We've struggled a bit on the penalty kill so I was happy with our ability to kill penalties in big moments in the game and to get a point here at the end, the way the last couple minutes went I thought was real important."
Matthew Kieper stooped 43 of 48 in the game, while Owen Pickering earned two assists as well. The Bronco powerplay was 1-for-4 in the contest.
Swift Current is back in action on Wednesday when they visit Lethbridge.
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