A heartbreaker for the Swift Current Broncos tonight.

Jordy Bellerive scored on an outside shot with 1:33 left in the third period to lift Lethbridge over Swift Current 4-3.

The Broncos had come back from down 2-0 and 3-1 early to tie the game and were very close to at least getting the game to overtime.

“We started off on our heels and they got a couple quick goals,” said Broncos associate coach Ryan Smith. “Showed the signs of fighting back again. That late goal in the first kind of settles us down. We were chasing the game most of the night killing a lot of penalties. When you're chasing and defending it's tough to mount any offence.”

Taz Burman came on in relief after Travis Child allowed 3 goals on 11 shots. Burman stopped the next 31 shots he faced including an incredible glove save to steal a goal from Igor Merezhko. The 32nd shot ended up being the game winner.

“He came in cold after Travis had some problems and he made probably the save of the year to keep it tied,” Smith said. “I'm sure he'd like (the game winner) back. That wasn't a good goal and he would be the first to admit it. The timing of it too with only 1:30 left we didn't have a lot of time to come back, but without him... it's not even a contest at the end.”

Ryan Graham carried Swift Current offensively again with 2 goals and an assist in spurring the comeback. He now has 5 goals and 4 assists in only 3 games since the Broncos picked him up from Saskatoon.

“A hot stick keep going,” Smith said. “He's playing the right way. He goes hard, he shoots hard and he goes to the net. There's no magic to that. He's been a big shot of energy into our lineup.”

Lethbridge came out with lots of jump as they had the week off after a trip, while Swift Current was playing their third game in four nights.

The Broncos were outshot 22-7 in the first period and kept it close after that. The Hurricanes only had an 11-8 edge in the second period and they each had 10 shots in the third.

Max Lajoie didn't see the ice in the late stages of the game because he took 14 minutes in penalties after a huge hit on Tanner Nagel called interference and a scrum that followed it.

The Broncos dropped to 13-8-2-4 on the season and a tie for second place in the WHL East Division. They have a chance to go to 3-1 for the week when they visit the Kootenay Ice tomorrow. They want to avoid another slow start in that game.

“I think you just have to be ready,” Smith said. “There were a lot of straight legs in our lineup at the start of the game. It's just being ready and being aware of the situation. We knew tonight Lethbridge was going to come hard they've had a week off after their trip, but we still seemed caught off guard. Hopefully tomorrow night we're not going to be caught off guard.”

The Broncos went 2 for 4 on their power play and held Lethbridge to 1 for 7.

Swift Current is still missing Glenn Gawdin, Riley Stotts and Tyler Adams from their lineup due to injury.

You can hear Saturday's game on The Eagle 94.1 FM with Robertson Family Group Broncos Hockey at 7:30pm.