An big improvement can still ultimately lead to the same bottom line.

That was a reality the Swift Current Broncos had to face tonight after a heartbreaking late goal from Josh Pillar led Kamloops to a 5-3 win over the defending WHL champions.

"We were much, much happier with the effort tonight," said Broncos assistant coach Scott Dutertre. "We made a couple adjustments in our defensive zone... we got running around a little bit, but I thought we gained our composure and came back hard. Just not the outcome we wanted."



Pillar cut from the left wing side and fired a shot through a screen that seemed to catch Joel Hofer off guard for the eventual game winner with 3:12 to go in the third period of a game that seemed destined for overtime.

Instead the Blazers broke their seven game losing skid while handing Swift Current their third straight loss.

Despite the loss it was an improved game from Swift Current who didn't spend nearly as much time stuck in their own end.

"We just tried to simplify everything in our D zone,." Dutertre noted. "Today before the game we tried to settle them down and try to clear up any gray area and make it more black and white for them. They're starting to get the hang of that."

The game started with a flash for the Broncos as forward Alec Zawatsky returned to the lineup from suspension with a highlight reel goal for a 1-0 Swift Current lead.

"That was a pretty goal," Dutertre noted.

Joel Hofer then took over making 16 saves in the first period to keep his team ahead. That would last until midway through the second when Connor Zary tied the game with a power play goal on a nice shot from the top left circle.

Swift Current took the lead back on a nice rush by their rookie line of Ben King, Matthew Culling and Joona Kiviniemi. King made a nice pass to Culling which he rang off the crossbar before Kiviniemi converted the rebound. It was the second goal in as many games for Kiviniemi and King picked up a point in his third straight game.

"It's attention to detail," Dutertre. "We've been working on in the defensive zone just being on the D side of the puck and once we do that it makes it easier to get the puck out of the zone. Once we get it going north they've had a lot more opportunities. I think they're getting more comfortable with the time and space in the league."



Kamloops tied the game again as they got a break on the power play. Luc Smith's centering feed bounced in off Noah King's skates and the teams entered the third period knotted at 2-2

The Blazers took their first lead of the game only 15 seconds into the third when Zane Franklin struck for his 7th of the season on a quick backhand shot.

That's when a Kamloops product stepped up for Swift Current. Max Patterson converted a Culling rebound to tie the game back up on the power play in front his friends and family.

Both teams had good chances in a well-played third before the Pillar go-ahead goal. He was set up by Blazers 15-year-old local born affiliate player Logan Stankoven who had an assist on a night local legend Mark Recchi had his Hall of Fame induction honoured before the game.

Smith added an empty-net goal to seal the game. The Broncos want to take the good things from the performance regardless of the result.

"It's just taking those little positives and focusing on them," Dutertre said. "Our effort level was much, much better, our attention to detail in the defensive zone got better, we started getting more pucks to the net offensively... again little things and it's getting better one day at a time."

Hofer made 35 saves on 39 Kamloops shots in a losing cause, while Dylan Ferguson stopped 21 of the 24 Swift Current shots.

Zawatsky was back in after his suspension for the Broncos, while Matt Stanley served the second game of his ban tonight.

The Broncos are in Prince George on Sunday afternoon.