"This group really does believe."

That's how Swift Current Broncos Head Coach and Director of Player Personnel Manny Viveiros summed up a remarkable comeback in Game 2 of the WHL Championship Series.

Down 3-0 after the first period against a stingy Everett Silvertips club, the Broncos battled back to win the game and tie the series.

"That's the most important thing is you've got to be able to believe," Viveiros said. "Very proud of the kids."

Girgio Estephan scored his second overtime winner of the playoffs and 12th goal of the post-season on the rebound of a Beck Malenstyn shot that Matteo Gennaro got a piece of and Carter Hart couldn't squeeze.

"Coming into the zone Beck made a good play to Matteo up the middle and he poked it off the pad," Estephan said. "I was just lucky the puck kind of rolled to me.... We're pretty fortunate to get that goal and this win."

After only scoring once in the previous four periods of the series, the Broncos finally got to Carter Hart in the 2nd, 3rd and OT periods.

"We did a lot to focus on him," said Broncos forward Tyler Steenbergen. "Obviously we know he's an unbelievable goaltender and it's very hard to put pucks behind him. We knew we had to try and get into his head, put bodies in front of him and create a lot of traffic so he can't see those pucks... obviously there are some holes that we want to go on him, but I'm not going to give anything too away."

It was a nightmare start for the Broncos falling behind 3-0 to an Everett team that hasn't blown a lead like that all season. The Broncos didn't let Everett's strong play with a lead intimidate them the rest of the way.

"Our message in the room after that first period got guys fired up," Steenbergen said. "Going into the second and third there was no way we were going to let this one slip. Moving forward from the first period we just had this mindset that we weren't going to lose this game, that we couldn't lose this game."



Swift Current got a goal from Matteo Gennaro in the second period going hard to the net for a rebound and seemed to steadily get better as the rest of the game went on.

Gennaro in particular had a strong night with a goal and two assists. The whole team really found their game as they made the final push in the third period.

"Our kids regrouped," Viveiros said. "(Goaltender) Stuart Skinner was outstanding after about the ten minute mark of the first period he gave us every opportunity to win the hockey game. No question we're very fortunate, but we're also very happy the way we responded, came back and battled. That's something we've been doing all season long and all playoff long."

Skinner made two of the best saves of his career in the third period to keep his team within striking distance. His stop on Riley Sutter by reaching out with a desperation glove stop will be among the highlights of the post-season.

It was a strong response for Skinner after giving up those early goals including one by Martin Fasko-Rudas he would likely want to have back. He made 40 saves to help secure the win. Carter Hart made 34 saves for Everett.

"One of the thing for Stuart that makes him such a good goaltender... is having a short memory," Viveiros said. "He has the ability to shut it off right away... and the next save is always the most important one. He is unflappable in that capacity. We don't worry about him at all."

Swift Current cut the lead to 3-2 when a centering pass deflected back to the line for a Colby Sissons one-timer. The Broncos tied the game when Gennaro grabbed the puck after a missed chance with 1:37 to play and found a wide open Steenbergen for his 12th of the playoffs.

The Broncos handed the Silvertips their first road loss of the playoffs in front of maybe the loudest crowd of the season in Swift Current.

Now the series shifts to Everett for three games starting on Tuesday. If necessary the teams would be back in Swift Current for Game 6 next Sunday.