Logan Flodell made 40 saves as the Swift Current Broncos held on to beat Kamloops 3-1 tonight.

It was his fourth straight game allowing only a single goal as the veteran netminder shot his save percentage up by 11 points to 0.916 in one week of excellent play.



Owen Blocker's first career WHL goal in the first period stood up as the winner for the Broncos slowing down a hot Kamloops team.

"It was surreal," Blocker said. "It was one of those things you can't really believe it happened when it happened. It was almost like I Was watching it in the third person."



Already up 1-0 in the first period Blocker converted a nice feed from Logan Foster with a shot from the left face-off dot. It was his first goal in 64 WHL games and a big relief for him.

"It's the biggest weight lifted off my shoulders," Blocker said. "I can't explain it. It's amazing."

The Broncos have now won five straight games mostly without top WHL stars Tyler Steenbergen and Aleksi Heponiemi in their lineup. It's a streak that should help dispel the notion from some that they are a one line team.

"It feels great especially for us guys that are lower in the lineup," Blocker said. "It means we're pulling our weight more and that's what we need to get to the Mem Cup."

For Blocker personally those players being away has provided an opportunity to play a regular shift as Swift Current's third line centre with some time on the penalty kill. It's an opportunity he is hoping to take advantage of in proving he can do that on a regular basis.

"The more responsibility I get I feel I can come up to the challenge," Blocker said. "That's what I have to do to make myself a player in this league."


Blocker, Quinton Waitzner and Logan Barlage all scored their first WHL goals this week. The scoring has come as the coaches have emphasized pucks and bodies to the net.

"Our coaches right now their main thing is just get pucks to the net," Blocker noted. "Doesn't matter how they get there. If you're in the corner shoot for the net. Make a chance to score out of nothing."

Captain Glenn Gawdin scored his 31st of the season only 25 seconds into the game on a nice feed by Artyom Minulin. Gawdin has 21 points over a 10 game point streak. Max Patterson added a helper on the goal and has six points in his last five games since being promoted to the top line with Gawdin and Logan Barlage.

Blocker's goal then gave the Broncos a 2-0 lead midway through the first period before Brady Regan closed the gap to 2-1 on a Kamloops point shot through traffic.

That's all the scoring either team would have until Matteo Gennaro finished the game with an empty net goal with 3.4 seconds to play. It was his 20th of the season. Gennaro now has 13 points in nine games since joining the Broncos from Calgary.

Swift Current heads into the holiday break 25-7-2-0 with the second best record in the WHL. They're four points back of Moose Jaw for first play and take on the Warriors in a home-and-home series starting on December 27th in Swift Current.

The time off with family is something all the Broncos are looking forward to.

"I can't wait it'll be great," Blocker said. "See my friends, see my family, hang out with the pets... it'll be awesome."