Rookie Logan Barlage scored in his first WHL shootout attempt to lift the Swift Current Broncos to a 5-4 comeback victory over the Saskatoon Blades.

“It felt good,” Barlage said. “Pretty close to getting a goal in the regular game and it just felt good to maybe get my monkey off my back. It was just a good feeling all the guys jumping off the bench to go and hug me and stuff. Hopefully I can keep going now.”

Glenn Gawdin struck twice in the third period for Swift Current in the third period as they erased a 4-1 deficit. Artyom Minulin tied the game with just over two minutes to play.

The Broncos then hit two posts in overtime before heading to their second shootout in their last three games. Kirby Dach gave the Blades a 1-0 lead before Aleksi Heponiemi extended the shootout with a beautiful backhand goal. Barlage won it moving to his backhand and lifting the puck top shelf.

“The two in the shootout were beautiful goals and so was theirs (from Kirby Dach),” said Broncos associate coach Ryan Smith. “(Heponiemi) comes down and makes a move only he could make. He had to score to keep it alive so it wasn't just any kind of shot there was lots of pressure. Logan hasn't had a goal yet and maybe that's what he needs. Used it reach and got it up top real quick and good for him. I felt really happy for Logan to get that.”



The Broncos got off to a very tough start as Caleb Fantillo banked one in off the back of rookie goalie Joel Hofer 24 seconds into the game. Michael Farren then put his own rebound in less than a minute later to build an early 2-0 Saskatoon lead.

Conner Chaulk's third goal in his last four games got the Broncos back to within one, but Cameron Hebig struck shorthanded to restore the two-goal lead after one.

“It didn't look good for us for a long time,” Smith said. “We didn't play well to start. A quick goal on the power play kind of turned it around for us. We kind of fought the puck all night. I felt we were a little off and you can't do that in this league.”

We turn the puck over on the first goal, we don't pick up a check on the second goal (and) the third goal it's tough it's a shorthanded goal and you put yourself in a hole like that. It was a bad feeling from the first shift after they scored and we just never seemed to get out of that funk until later in the game.”

The Blades added to their lead as Alec Zawatsky scored his second of the season with a backhand off the post and in. That ended Hofer's night with 11 saves on 15 Saskatoon shots. Logan Flodell filled in and stopped all 18 Blades shots he faced to earn the win.

Swift Current still didn't have a lot going for them throughout the second period, but seemed to find a spark in the third.

“I think it was Manny's pep talk in between periods,” Barlage said. “He let us know what we had to do to be better. Gawdin talked to us and a couple of the other leaders just told us to play better... we ended up playing better and scored a couple goals to tie it up. It was a really good win for our team just to show us what we can do when we're playing good and we can come back in games like this.”

Not only did Gawdin make a statement in the dressing room, he made a big one on the ice by scoring only 24 seconds into the third period on the power play. Gawdin then struck again midway through the period when Aleksi Heponiemi took advantage of a Blades turnover to set him up alone in the slot for the captain's 17th of the season.

Minulin's tying goal came on another nice Heponiemi pass that Kaden Elder deflected off the post before the Russian defenceman could bury the rebound. It was Heponiemi's third assist of the night.

“We had a lot of things go right for us,” Smith said. “A lot of bounces in the third period go right for us. They deserved more than a point. They were the better team throughout most of the game.”

Swift Current was the better of the two teams in overtime out-shooting the Blades 5-1 and hitting two posts.

Dach's goal gave the Blades a lead and forced Heponiemi to answer with the game on the line. Flodell's save on Michael Farren then opened the door for Barlage to win it.

“I was happy that we made that save then I wasn't really thinking about it,” Barlage said. “I was going in thinking maybe to shoot it... but I went in and thought the deke was maybe the right move.”

The season has been a learning experience for Barlage who was the Saskatchewan Midget AAA leading scorer at 15, but has been held to four assists while getting a regular shift as a 16-year-old WHL rookie.

“It's been really good for my development,” Barlage said. “I really love it here. Every time I get on the ice I try to improve my game. Chances will come and I should score on one eventually. Just keep on working hard and it's been good.”

The win lifted Swift Current to 4-1 against the Blades this season and 16-5-1-0 overall. They sit second in the WHL Eastern Conference ahead of a game in Prince Albert on Friday and back home against Brandon on Saturday.