Brock Hamm made 46 saves as the Saskatoon Blades ended Swift Current's winning streak at three games with a 6-2 win over the Broncos on Wednesday night.
Cameron Hebig and Brett Stovin each scored twice for Saskatoon in the win, their third in seven games against the Broncos this season.
“Frustrating is a good word,” said Broncos assistant coach Jamie Heward. “We just didn't get enough from certain guys. There's no way with our talent level, our ability to make plays and just be a good hockey team at times that we should lose by four goals to that team.”
“If you don't show up and play every night... you need the majority of guys to buy in. We didn't have that mentality tonight.”
Colby Cave and Glenn Gawdin scored for Swift Current as they peppered Hamm with shots but the momentum of the game kept slipping away from them. Jake DeBrusk had two assists.
“We were sleepy right from the start,” Heward said. “We just lost a game that was right there for us. It seems like every time we try to climb that mountain we take a couple steps back at the most inopportune time. It's unfortunate.”
It was the second straight night the Broncos gave up six goals.
“You could say it's just goaltending, you could say it's the D, you could blame it on the forwards,” Heward said. “It's a tricle down effect. You need to have better starts and yes we're giving up way too many goals on very few chances.”
“It's where you're making your mistake... we're making mistakes in the wrong spots.”
For the fifth straight game the Broncos gave up the first goal and got down 2-0 for the third straight game. They had won three in a row coming from behind, but it's not a recipe for success.
“I wish I had an answer for you,” Heward said. “You can't keep coming from behind in this league and expecting to win every night. We're coming up against some good hockey teams that are fighting for their playoff lives and trying to make moves in the standings... it's just something we need to figure out.”
The Broncos thought they had tied the game shortly after the Blades got up 2-0 but Jake DeBrusk's goal was waived off due to a review showing the puck being kicked in. Cave brought the Broncos to within a goal late in the period and they seemed set to go into the intermission down only by a goal. That's when a clearing attempt hit one of the referees and bounced right to Cameron Hebig for a goal that restored Saskatoon's two-goal edge.
The bounces didn't go Swift Current's way as they also hit two crossbars and controlled the puck most of the game as the Blades kept converting on their chances and pulling away. Swift Current outshot Saskatoon 18-11 in the first period and 18-12 in the second and found themselves down 6-1.
Landon Bow was pulled for the second straight night as he and backup Travis Child each allowed three goals in the loss.
The Blades went 1 for 1 on the power play and the Broncos finished 0 for 3. Their loss combined with Regina's shootout loss to Kootenay increased the Pats' lead for second place in the WHL East Division to nine points with eleven games left for Swift Current and twelve for Regina.
Despite the loss the Broncos have still won nine of their past thirteen games.
Swift Current hosts Medicine Hat on Saturday and visit Saskatoon again on Sunday. Saturday's game is sponsored by N & L Galey for the Children's Wish Foundation and the first 250 child tickets will be free.
Fri, Apr 26, 7:00 PM
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