The alarms went off early for the Swift Current Broncos and it took a little longer than they would have liked to wake up before coming back to beat Calgary 6-4 today.

The two teams played a rare 11am puck drop at the Scotiabank Saddledome for a game in front of over 14,000 school children promoting an anti-bullying message.

“It was kind of like midget again,” said Broncos defenceman Jacson Alexander. “It didn't feel too weird.”

Swift Current gave the Hitmen a 3-1 lead after the first period before coming back to win.

“The first period we struggled to get out of the blocks and the second and third we played solid,” said Broncos Associate Coach Ryan Smith. “We're happy with the two points. A little more goals against but that's going to happen once and a while.”

Glenn Gawdin had a goal and two assists, Tyler Steenbergen and Giorgio Estephan each had a goal and an assist, while Aleksi Heponiemi had three assists and Colby Sissons added two helpers in the win.

Calgary jumped ahead in the first period as Jakob Stukel and Riley Stotts both converted off Broncos turnovers. For Stotts it was the second time he has scored against his old team since being dealt from Swift Current to Calgary. He has 31 points in 36 games with the Hitmen.

The Broncos wouldn't blame the early start for their first period struggles.

“We weren't ready to go today whether it was 11am or 7pm,” Smith said. “We played real sloppy and lazy and it almost cost us. You fall behind 3-1 and that's a tough road you paved for yourself.”



MacKenzie Wight, a late addition to the lineup when Sahvan Khaira was scratched after warm-up, got the Broncos on the board by battling to push in his first of the season after a scramble around the Calgary net.

The Hitmen went back up 3-1 when Vladislav Yeryomenko one-timed in a 4 on 3 power play goal. That spelled the end of Stuart Skinner's day. Joel Hofer came in and stopped 18 of 19 Calgary shots to help get Swift Current back into the game.

“He was excellent,” Smith said. “(Skinner) had an off (game) he will probably be the first to admit it. That's why you have guys to pick other guys up when they're not on the top of their game. Hofer was great. He deserves a lot of credit for holding us in it and then holding the lead at the end.”

Alexander had a memorable moment early in the second period when he took a Steenbergen pass and ripped a wrist shot top shelf over Nick Shneider for his first WHL goal.

“Felt good,” Alexander said. “Good pass by (Steenbergen) just shot it and it went in. I was pretty happy with it. A lot of relief. I just felt excited and was super happy.”



Steenbergen then converted a Gawdin pass shorthanded to tie the game on Swift Current's third shorthanded goal in their last two games. They also killed off 6/7 Calgary power plays in the game while going 2 for 7 on their own.

“I think our kill was important today,” Smith said. “Our power play has been very good all year, but the penalty kill has slowly been getting better and that's a key for us.”

Gawdin put the Broncos ahead early in the third period on the rebound of an Estephan one-timer.

Calgary wouldn't go away though as 17-year-old Carson Focht scored through traffic right as a 4 on 4 sequence turned into a Swift Current man advantage.

The Broncos got another power play go-ahead-goal as Gawdin's centering pass deflected to Estephan for his 28th of the season. Former Calgary forward Beck Malenstyn converted a great pass from Heponiemi on a two-on-one to put the game out of reach.

Swift Current moved into a tie with Moose Jaw for top spot in the WHL with a 45-14-4-1 record. The Warriors have three games in hand including tonight in Lethbridge.

Next action for the Broncos is Friday at home against Prince Albert and hosting Brandon on Saturday.