Jake DeBrusk scored twice and again in the shootout as the Swift Current Broncos beat the Red Deer Rebels 4-3 on Tuesday.
It was the first shootout win of the season for the Broncos.
“It's been a long time coming,” said Broncos associate coach Josh Dixon. “It's one of those things that you get to overtime you get a point. It doesn't really feel like you lose the game although you don't have the same feeling.”
“I'm very excited for the guys to win one in the shootout tonight.”
The Broncos had been 0-4 in the shootout.
“There's no question it becomes almost its' own entity and distraction if you continue to go on into the season any longer without getting any sort of success,” Dixon said. “To get the win, to get that over with that's no longer something we need to talk about or think about.”
Landon Bow made 35 saves and stopped 2 more shots in the shootout. Dixon felt he recovered very well after a couple of early goals he might have wanted to have back.
“He really found a way to fight through,” Dixon said. “That's big for him. He was kind of at that point in the hockey game where if it's another shot he should have maybe he doesn't stay in the game. The credit goes to him for having that mental toughness to regroup, refocus and have a real good second period. He made some real good saves in tight.”
The Broncos gave up two goals to Riley Sheen 1:02 into the first period and with 37 second left. Jake DeBrusk had tied the game up midway through the period with a highlight reel goal as he deflected a rebound up and knocked it out of mid-air into the Rebels' net.
DeBrusk struck again late in the second period as he deflected a Max Lajoie shot in for his 20th of the season and tied the game through 40 minutes of play.
“He's so slippery with the puck anywhere in the offensive zone,” Dixon said. “He's a very tough player to check. The biggest thing for Jake is that he's working to playing in good defensive spot. He's not cheating for offence and as a result he's being rewarded.”
DeBrusk has 13 points in his last 6 games.
The Broncos had several good scoring chances early in the third period they couldn't convert on and ended up down 3-2 after a Conner Bleackley goal with just under six minutes to play. Swift Current responded in the final minute as Brett Lernout blasted a one-timer through traffic for his career high 9th goal of the season and a tie game.
DeBrusk and Glenn Gawdin scored for the Broncos, while Bow stopped by Sheen and Bleackley.
Swift Current visits Edmonton for their fourth game in five nights on Wednesday night. You can hear the game starting with our pre-game show at 6:30pm on The Eagle 94.1 FM.
Tue, Apr 23, 6:30 PM
Agriculture, Transport
Featured
