Alex Roach scored 4:32 into overtime as the Calgary Hitmen broke Swift Current's hearts with a 6-5 overtime win over the Broncos in game 1 of the 2013 WHL playoffs. Roach one-timed a puck from the left corner of the Swift Current zone and it just snuck through Eetu Laurikainen's pads to put Calgary up 1-0 in the best of seven first round series. 
The goal negated what was a terrific comeback for the Broncos. Down 4-0 early in the second period Swift Current fired back to force overtime in their first playoff game since 2010.
"We have to use this game as a good learning experience," said Broncos Assistant Coach Darren Evjen. "We know we can play with these guys. In playoffs everything is on the line and you've got to play that way every shift right from the beginning. That's really the lesson learned here. Let's not get caught watching the game, let's get in and dictate what we want to do and make the make mistakes."
Highlights from Thursday's game from the New Pioneer Co-op Home Centre Broncos Hockey broadcast on The Eagle 94.1 The playoffs got off to a painful start for the Broncos as Captain Adam Lowry took an interference penalty only 29 seconds in and Brooks Macek took only 5 seconds to convert the man advantage. Off a draw win by Victor Rask, Macek fired a wrist shot from the middle of the point that found its' way through traffic and beat Eetu Laurikainen.
The Hitmen were up 6-0 in shots on the Broncos through over 11 minutes of play and dominated possession. Swift Current found some life on their second power play of the period as they got a few pucks to the net and created some momentum. The Broncos built on that for a few minutes but weren't able to find the back of the net before momentum turned again. After some sustained pressure on back to back shifts the Hitmen struck again on a Brady Brassart shot from the top left circle. Brassart's goal allowed Calgary to bookend the first period with goals and they had all the momentum in their corner.
Things went from bad to worse in the second period when Calgary scored twice in 16 seconds to extend their lead to 4-0. Colton Mayor banged in a rebound of a Kenton Helgesen point shot to make it 3-0 at 5:33 of the period. Only 16 seconds later Jaynen Rissling spring Brassart for a breakaway and he ripped it by Laurikainen's glove to build up a huge Calgary lead.
"You're not making easy plays up to the forwards," Evjen said. "The forwards aren't getting it deep, we're not defending well, they're getting out numbered changes and they shoot from everywhere. We start playing the way we can play and we start taking over the game. It's a good lesson for us of what we have to do to be successful."
Post-game interview from Broncos Assistant Coach Darren Evjen Broncos Coach/GM Mark Lamb united Adam Lowry, Graham Black and Coda Gordon in an attempt to spark some life in his team after a timeout. It worked at 10:23 as Lowry took a feed from Black and one timed it by Hitmen goaltender Chris Driedger to get the Swift Current on the board. Only 51 seconds after that Colby Cave stole a puck behind the Calgary net and set up another one timer, this time by Ryon Moser, to cut Calgary's lead to 4-2.
"I think (Black) really started skating," Evjen noted. "He gets moving his feet... and I thought Moser had a really good game. The switch really kind of turned things up. Black got skating and he's as fast as they come. They had a hard time handling him."
The Hitmen were a bit rattled and Rissling took a roughing penalty on the next shift to put Swift Current on their third power play. Levi Bews converted on the man advantage by batting a puck out of mid-air on the rebound of a Ryon Moser shot to bring Swift Current to within a goal.
Calgary restored a 2-goal lead when Brassart scored his third of the game on a 2 on 1 early in the third. Dalton Reum tried to break it up and the puck took a funny hop right to Brassart for the goal. It only took 37 seconds for Swift Current to respond when Reece Scarlett deflected a Dillon Heatherington point shot and Gordon converted on a loose puck at the side of the net.
The Broncos tied the game l3:53 of the third period when Gordon set Black up for a one-timer on the power play. Swift Current went 2 for 5 on the man advantage, while Calgary went 1 for 2.
Laurikainen took the loss allowing 6 goals on 38 shots. Driedger made 23 saves on 28 Swift Current shots.
Heatherington, Cave, Moser, Black and Gordon all had 2 point nights for Swift Current in a losing cause.
The two teams will meet again on Friday night in Calgary. Games 3 and 4 are Monday and Tuesday in Swift Current. You can hear all the games on The Eagle 94.1 FM with The New Pioneer Co-op Home Centre Broncos Hockey at 6:30pm.
Click here for the boxscore
Click here for the video highlights
Wed, Apr 24, 9:30 AM
Agriculture, Transport
Featured
