Swift Current native MacKenzie Johnston scored the overtime winner as the Saskatoon Blades knocked off the Swift Current Broncos 3-2 on Saturday. Troy Tremblay made 40 saves as the last place Blades beat the East Division leading Broncos.
“Disappointing,” said Broncos Assistant Coach Jamie Heward. “When you're battling for first place and potentially battling for a playoff spot in a tight division you can't afford to lose points to teams that aren't as good as you.”
“We've got guys that are uptight and guys that are making mistakes because they're scared to play. We've got to have everybody going at the same time and everybody going every night.”
Heward wasn't impressed by some of their decision making.
“It was frustrating and disappointing tonight at some of the mistakes we made,” he said. “They're mistakes you make in training camp not 51 games into the year.”
“Going down this stretch we better find a way to get hard. If we're going to win we have to have guys get hard.”
The Broncos got off to a good start with a strong shift from the Burns/Gordon/DeBrusk line and an early power play. They couldn't convert and then found themselves at the wrong end of a bad break.
Blades forward Cory Millette's centering feed deflected off a Swift Current skate and in for his 12th of the season and at 7:12.
Brett Lernout then took a double minor for cross checking and unsporstmanlike conduct while the teams were 4 on 4. That gave Saskatoon's potent power play a 4 on 3 that sniper Nikita Scherbak took full advantage of with a laser of a wrist shot by Bow for a 2-0 Blades lead. Scherbak has 6 goals in 7 games against the Broncos this season.
Swift Current drew back even with a strong second period. Colby Cave put home his 23rd of the year just 1:21 into the period on a shot that Trombley got a piece of and couldn't hold on to. The Broncos then couldn't convert on back-to-back power plays, but Saskatoon native Andrew Johnson ripped his 5th of the season by Trombley to tie things up.
After a strong second period the Broncos were on their heels for much of the third period. Bow had to make several key stops as they were outshot 17-9 in the period and held on to a 2-2 tie through regulation.
“If it wasn't for (Bow) in the third period we wouldn't have got it to overtime,” Heward said. “He was outstanding. He did everything in his power to give us a chance to win.”
In overtime Scherbak again burned Swift Current as he rushed the puck from their zone, the to Blades zone and back into Bronco territory again before setting up the Johnston winner. Saskatoon won three out of four games played between the two teams at the Credit Union Centre this season, but the Broncos do own a 4-3 edge in the season series.
Swift Current went 0 for 4 on the power play while holding the Blades to 1 for 5.
Stephen Shmoorkoff dressed for the Broncos but didn't make it to the second period after leaving Friday's game injured as well.
Despite losses in their last two games, Swift Current earned 6 of a possible 8 points this week and held on to first place in the WHL East Division. They're only a point ahead of Brandon and three points ahead of Regina.
Swift Current's next action is Friday at home against Medicine Hat. They will host Prince George on Saturday when the Riders and the Grey Cup pay a visit to the Credit Union iPlex.
Fri, Apr 26, 10:00 AM
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