Broncos reach Eastern Conference final
The Swift Current Broncos left nothing to chance in game seven of the Eastern Conference best-of-seven semi-final series with a convincing 6-0 win over the host Warriors on Monday.
The victory clinched the Broncos’ first Eastern Conference finals appearance since 2001, and somewhat surprisingly, the first playoff meeting with the Lethbridge Hurricanes in Western Hockey League history.
Two days after a heartbreaking triple overtime loss in Swift Current, captain Glenn Gawdin led the Broncos with two goals and two assists and Stuart Skinner made 25 saves for his third consecutive shutout at Mosaic Place.
Defenseman Colby Sissons added a goal and two assists, while Aleksi Heponiemi and Tyler Steenbergen also had two-point outings as the Broncos scored twice in each period for their third road win of the series.
“It feels great,” said Gawdin. “For us, for some reason we like to play game sevens and it’s been that way. But adversity for this team means nothing. The way that we can bounce back and fight through adversity is the real reason why we won 6-0 tonight. Obviously game six didn’t go how we liked or obviously wanted. Just for us bouncing back and we had another chance to close it out here and we did that.”
“We’re ecstatic,” said head coach Manny Viveiros. “We feel like we’re also fortunate too. Very proud of our kids. I thought we played our last two games, game six I thought we played really well and obviously we played a real good game tonight too. You have to have to give credit to Moose Jaw to come back and win in game six and then come out tonight it was one of those things where we scored at the right time. We had the momentum and then we continued with the momentum and we scored at opportune times and it looks like maybe they ran out of a little bit of gas at the end.”
The Broncos won three of four games at Mosaic Place against the Warriors, the top team in the Western Hockey League this season.
“Proud of our kids. To come back here and win three games in this building, plus game seven, very, very happy for them,” said Viveiros.
“It feels amazing,” added Skinner, who now has four shutouts in the playoffs. “I am actually pretty tired. I am excited to get a couple days off and rest up for round three. It seems like we play really well in the Moose Jaw rink. Three wins playing away is huge. I mean that’s the reason why we won this series. I am so thankful that I have this group of guys and we’re a family out there, so I love it.”
The Broncos will now face the Lethbridge Hurricanes in the Eastern Conference final as Skinner, Giorgio Estephan and Tanner Nagel will all face their former team after a blockbuster trade brought them to Swift Current in January.
“Obviously this has crossed my mind a couple times,” said Estephan, the former captain of the Hurricanes. “But I mean I have played a tonne of playoff games there. I know a lot of tendencies of a lot of guys there. Pre-scouting those guys will definitely be a little weird and a little different. I am definitely excited for the challenge. When I left there they said ‘I’ll see you in conference finals.’ So yeah here we are.”
The Broncos will now have home ice advantage and will host games one and two on Friday and Saturday in Swift Current. Games three and four will follow on Tuesday and Wednesday in Lethbridge.
The Broncos finished with a 3-1 record against the Hurricanes in the regular season. The Hurricanes are led by goaltender Logan Flodell, as well as Matthew Stanley, Logan Barlage, and Owen Blocker, who all went to Lethbridge in the trade deadline deal.
“I’ve visualized about this since the trade,” said Skinner, who played 182 regular season and 24 playoff games in Lethbridge. “They told me that we’re gonna meet in the Eastern Conference finals. I didn’t doubt it. They’re a good hockey club and I know them really well. I am really excited to play against them and I am excited to see what we can do and just to have the support and to have Giorgio and me and Nags back, I’m sure it’s going to be a lot of fun and it’s gonna involve a lot of emotions, but I’m super excited for it.”
The trade deadline deal sent three players to Swift Current, while four players and three draft picks went the other way
“When we made that deal with Lethbridge it was for us to give us an opportunity to get through our side because our side was a real difficult side,” said Viveiros. “I am not surprised that they got through too because they are a good hockey team and we had to give up some really good hockey players to get good hockey players. It’s gonna be a little bit weird at first, but when it’s all said and done the kids that we have now they’re Swift Current Broncos now. The kids that we moved over to Lethbridge, they are Lethbridge Hurricanes now. It’s gonna make for an interesting series.”
The Broncos finished 31 points ahead of the Hurricanes in the regular season.
“I get that we’re gonna say we’re probably the favorites because of the regular season and stuff like that, but it is what it is and we’re okay with that, we can live with that,” said Viveiros. “But they’re a good hockey team. You don’t win two series in the playoffs with luck. They are a well-coached, great organization. Pete Anholt is a real good friend of mine. I know those guys are going to be ready to go here. Every series has it’s own individual story and we will see how that plays out on Friday night.”
Centre Brad Morrison currently leads all WHL skaters with 29 points in 10 playoff games as the Hurricanes advanced past the Red Deer Rebels and Brandon Wheat Kings by 4-1 series margins.
The meeting will also showcase an intriguing special teams battle. The Hurricanes currently feature the second best power play in the league at 39.1 percent, while the Broncos are third at 32.7 percent. The Hurricanes lead the league with an 85.7 mark on the penalty kill, while the Broncos are second at 84.0 percent.