It was a missed opportunity for the Swift Current Broncos.

Up 2-1 and 3-2 in their first game of the Mastercard Memorial Cup round robin, the Broncos gave up two shorthanded goals before falling 4-3 in overtime to the Acadie-Bathurts Titan.

"I thought we made some uncharacteristic mistakes in the game," said Broncos Head Coach/Director of Player Personnel Manny Viveiros. "We gave up more odd man rushes in this game this evening than we've given up in seven weeks of playoffs. It's something that we normally don't do... and obviously the two shorthanded goals. I thought all four goals they just outworked us. Very uncharacteristic for our hockey team... we didn't deserve to win the hockey game, but we were close enough to win the hockey game."

Swift Current had only given up one shorthanded goal in 26 playoff games before giving up two in this game.

"That's unacceptable by us," Estephan said. "That's something that shouldn't happen ever. If they don't score on that advantage we have it's a different game."



The Broncos have faced adversity like this before getting behind 2-1 in their series against Moose Jaw and 1-0 against Everett. They lost ten times in 26 playoff games and only lost twice in a row once over that time.

"It was a tough one but anything can happen in these tournaments," said Captain Glenn Gawdin. "Every team here is good and here for a reason. You can't take anything lightly."



Stuart Skinner made 35 saves for the Broncos in the loss and noted the team was still upbeat.

"We were just talking in the dressing room and talking really positive to one another," Skinner said. "We know how important it is that we need to win the next few games. We're going to be ready and come out hard."

Estephan scored twice and had an assist for the Broncos to earn first star of the game. Linemate Tanner Nagel had two assists and helped draw two power plays for the Broncos in one of his strongest games with Swift Current.

"For me what was working was just getting the puck in deep and playing physical," Nagel said. "Causing turnovers down low and just getting the puck to my linemates. I'm playing with some good hockey players and it's fortunate for me I can create some space down low and open it up for them a little bit."



Down 1-0 in the first period, the Broncos got a power play goal from sniper Tyler Steenbergen on the rebound of a Colby Sissons shot. They then pulled ahead when Sissons set up Estephan for a terrific one-timer and a 2-1 lead after the first period.

Steenbergen then hit a crossbar early in the second period and was having a terrific game before he went down awkwardly into the boards on a hit and didn't return. Viveiros would only say after the game that Steenbergen was day-to-day.

"When you lose a player of Tyler's caliber you have to make adjustments," Viveiros said. "We're deep enough and skilled enough... no question he's a great player and great leader of our hockey team, but that happens and it's another opportunity for a player on our team to step up."

The Broncos were also without defenceman Sahvan Khaira in the game. Viveiros said he was fighting a bug and was expected back on Monday against Hamilton.

The Titan got their first of two shorthanded goals late in the second period when Samuel Asselin outraced the Broncos into their zone for a loose puck and slid it under Skinner for his second of the game. Estephan knocked in his own rebound just over a minute later to restore the lead going into the second intermission.

It was only 5:51 into the third period when Adam Holwell converted the rebound on a shorthanded three-on-two to tie the game and eventually force overtime. Liam Murphy then won the game less than three minutes into extra time by jamming in a loose puck on a Noah Dobson centering feed.

Swift Current and Hamilton both face a little more pressure in Monday's game as they're both 0-1 and need to win at least once in the three-game round robin to ensure at least a spot in a tie-breaker game.

The Broncos went 1 for 5 on the power play, while holding the Titan to 0 for 4. Evan Fitzpatrick made 24 saves for Acadie-Bathurst.

The crowd in Regina was certainly behind Swift Current with a significant and vocal crew of Broncos fans taking over the Brandt Centre. The crowd for today's game was actually larger than it was on Friday for the hometown Pats by a margin of 6237 to 5678.

"It's unbelievable," Gawdin said. "They've been our support throughout the whole playoffs. Knowing it was Regina we knew they were going to be here. They're awesome, they're loud and right behind us."

Next action at the Memorial Cup is Sunday when the Pats host the Titan at 5pm. Our next broadcast is 5:30pm on Monday for Robertson Family Group Swift Current Broncos Hockey on The Eagle 94.1 FM.