A hot start by the Swift Current Broncos was cooled off over the final 30 minutes by the Edmonton Oil Kings at the Innovation Credit Union iPlex Wednesday night - the visiting club earned a 5-3 win over the Broncos.

The last-place Broncos jumped out to a 1-0 lead over the Eastern Conference-leading Oil Kings after the first period. Defenseman Sam McGinley scored his second of the season 6:41 into the game.

Newly-named alternate captain Eric Houk extended the Broncos' lead to two 2:11 into the second period, but the steady barrage of Edmonton shots eventually were able to find the other side of the goal line.

After out-shooting the Broncos 19-6 in the first period, the Oil Kings erased their deficit in the second half of the middle frame while out-gunning Swift 22-12.

Edmonton goals with 9:38 and 1:19 to go before the second intermission made it a 2-2 tilt with 20 minutes to play.

The Oil Kings needed just 20 seconds of third-period play to take their first lead of the game - a one-goal margin they extended to a 4-2 lead a hair under five minutes later.

Despite the one-sided shot-clock and plenty of time spent in the defensive zone, the Broncos were in it until the final minute of play.

In his first game since recently being named the 33rd captain in Broncos' history, overage forward Jaxan Kaluski continued a recent trend of putting pucks pasts opposing netminders to trim their deficit to just a goal.

Kaluski's eighth goal in the ninth game of 2020 came with 8:16 to play, and brought the bench to life.

Swift Current had a pile of chances on a late Oil Kings penalty, but no more offense could be found.

Edmonton put the game out of reach with 52 seconds to go, ripping a wrister down the ice with the net empty for that 5-3 final.

Broncos' goalie Isaiah DiLaura was a deserving first star in the game.

With 21 shots over the third period, the Oil Kings racked up 62 on the night. DiLaura faced 61 of those, making an impressive 57 saves - the majority coming with either a lead or one-goal deficit.

Swift Current is back at the iPlex Friday night when they host the Moose Jaw Warriors.