A couple of Swift Current Broncos veterans showed true leadership tonight.

Glenn Gawdin and Artyom Minulin may not have scored the winning goal or been named first star, but two of Swift Current's most important veteran players gave their team an emotional and physical lift by returning from undisclosed ailments in a crucial Game 5 victory.

Gawdin and MInulin have missed the majority of the series and each had an assist while eating up very significant minutes in their return helping the Broncos to a 3-2 lead in the WHL Eastern Conference Final.

"You've got an elite puck moving defenceman that gets us out of trouble with good first passes," said Broncos Head Coach/Director of Player Personnel Manny Viveiros. "And Glenn Gawdin I thought he was the MVP (of the season) he's everything for our hockey club. He's our captain for many reasons."



Giorgio Estephan led on the ice with two goals an an assist for another first star level performance. He now has six goals in the series and helped the Broncos bounce back from two lopsided losses in Lethbridge.

"I was pretty proud of our group," Estephan said. "We've been battling through the last couple of games. How we played in Lethbridge was unacceptable for us. We came out tonight with a real strong effort. It's playoff time and I think we rally around the crucial games. Today was a big game for us... we responded real well tonight for sure."



After four games that got more and more away from the way the Broncos wanted to play, they felt Game 5 was their best performance of the series so far.

"I thought we played with a lot more energy and urgency in our game," Viveiros said. "We had a lot more structure in our game. I thought Lethbridge played well too. We don't ever seem to do anything easy by any means. They kept hanging around and hanging around. Flodell made some really big saves for them at key times to keep them in the hockey game. From our side I thought it was our best game so far. We wanted to play fast and heavier than we did before. For us that's a big part of our game. Playing quick and getting heavy on the forecheck."

While the Broncos were happy with their game, it's the first time in the series the Hurricanes seemed to want more from themselves after the final buzzer.

"It wasn't our best game," said Hurricanes Head Coach Brent Kisio. "Not taking anything away from Swift Current. (They) outplayed us they played a tremendous game. They were more physical and worked harder and deserved the win."

Being physical has been a big part of Swift Current's game throughout the playoffs and something they wanted to get back to tonight.

"Anytime you play a fast time you want to get in front of them and you want to slow them down a little bit," Estephan said. "In the first couple series we were pretty prominent on it. In the first couple of games in this series we weren't as physical as we have been. I think tonight we really established our presence. Our identity is a physical and strong team that has got some skill too. Physicality in the playoffs is key for any team."

Goals were hard to come by in the early going as both teams limited their mistake and had strong goaltending to back them up when they tripped up. The Broncos had the better of the play for a lot of the game and weren't able to open the scoring until midway through the second period. Max Patterson re-directed in a Sahvan Khaira point shot for his 5th of the playoffs at a key time.

Things got heated late in the second period when Zane Franklin converted a well executed odd-man rush to tie the game for Lethbridge. Right after the goal Tate Olson drove Matteo Gennaro's head into the glass in the corner and the two teams came together for a scrum. Josh Anderson and Igor Merezhko met in the first fight of the series that the big Ukranian won when Anderson lost his footing.

Olson received a two minute roughing penalty for the hit, while Gennaro was able to return in the third period.

The Broncos put their emotions aside after the hit and were able to strike quickly on a power play to regain the lead as Aleksi Heponiemi set Estephan up for a great shot top corner on Flodell.

"We just talked about resetting really quick," Viveiros said. "We had a power play and an opportunity to take advantage of that. Whatever call they made we can't control that now so just get going and get focused on the next shift."



Swift Current added to that lead with a slap-shot by Sissons for his third of the playoffs early in the third period. Gawdin and Minulin received assists on the play.

Lethbridge, as usual, wouldn't go away. The Hurricanes closed the gap when a puck hit off the linesman's skate and hopped right to Brad Morrison. The leading scorer of the playoffs wasted little time firing that by Stuart Skinner.

The Broncos returned their two-goal lead when Tyler Steenbergen forced a turnover in the Lethbridge zone and got the puck to the net. It deflected off Estephan and in for his second of the night.

Lethbridge pulled Flodell with just under four minutes to play in the game and drew a slashing penalty on Sissons. It took until the final ten seconds of their power play for Egor Zudilov to score his first of the playoffs and really put some pressure on.

Swift Current survived the final minute and held on for another close victory.

Viveiros felt his team was able to keep their emotions in check during the ups and downs.

"We learned our lesson in Game 4," Viveiros said. "We let frustration and emotion get the best of us for a better part of that game. That's something that we've done a pretty good job with so far in the playoffs. We re-addressed it. We can't let what happens to effect us two or three shifts in the future. We've got to just reset and go shift to shift."

For Estephan especially it's an emotional series against the team he played five years for and a fanbase that surprisingly rained boos down on him during the games in Lethbridge. That emotion is something he has been working hard to control.

"Obviously it's a special series," Estephan said. "Anytime it's playoffs stuff like that goes out the window. This is a rival of mine for sure, but I think I'm handling it pretty well and my emotions are pretty in check. Anytime you get stuck with adversity your emotions will always waiver, but it's like Manny said keeping on it making sure that you're as positive as you can to build yourself for the next shift."



Stuart Skinner made 27 saves to earn the win for Swift Current. Flodell was strong early for the Hurricanes and finished with 28 saves in a losing cause.

"Of course not the outcome we want," Flodell said. "But there's no doubt in our mind we can force a Game 7. It's going to be a lot of work and I think we can do it."

Swift Current cut down on the penalties going from ten in Game 4 to only three power plays against them in Game 5.

Now the series shifts to Lethbridge where the Hurricanes are undefeated in the playoffs so far. You can listen to Game 6 from Lethbridge on Monday with our broadcast of Robertson Family Group Broncos Hockey at 6:30pm.