Bronco slide continues against East Division foes
The Swift Current Broncos lost all three games to East Division opponents last week as their losing streak reached eight games.
Wednesday, the Broncos were on the wrong end of an 8-3 loss at the hands of the visiting Winnipeg Ice. The Broncos trailed 2-1 after one period on a Jaxan Kaluski goal, his 19th of the season.
They allowed three straight goals in the second period before Matthew Benson and Hayden Ostir scored for a 5-3 deficit. The Ice scored three unanswered goals in the final frame to close out the scoring.
Isaiah Dilaura took the loss with 31 saves for the Broncos. Liam Hughes earned the win with 19 saves for the Ice.
Owen Pederson led the Ice with two goals and one assist, while Peyton Krebs and Dawson Barteaux both had three-assist outings. Benjamin Zloty, Nolan Orzeck, Cole Muir, Isaac Johnson, James Form, and Michal Teply also scored.
Friday, the Broncos were shutout for a 10th time this season in a 5-0 loss to the host Prince Albert Raiders.
Michael Horon, Ilya Usau, Aliaksei Protas, Matthew Culling, and Brayden Watts all scored for the Raiders, who finished two-for-three on the power play.
Max Paddock earned the shutout with 13 saves. Isaac Poulter took the loss with 25 saves.
Saturday, the Broncos made several comeback attempts but eventually lost 6-4 to the visiting Saskatoon Blades.
Poulter took the loss with 28 saves, while Koen Macinnes earned the win with 12 saves on 16 shots.
Defenseman Kaleb Bulych led the Broncos with two goals and one assist, while D-jay Jerome added a goal and two assists. Kaluski also scored for the Broncos.
The Broncos will continue their stretch of three-game weeks as they play Friday, Saturday, and Wednesday once again. Friday will be an important night at the iplex as some familiar faces return to Swift Current. Locals Reed Jacobson and Mac Gross will both play their first games at the iplex in the WHL with the Spokane Chiefs.
Jacobson has eight points and a plusfive rating in 41 games during his first WHL season.
Gross has a plus one rating in 19 games on the blueline since joining the Chiefs after starting the season in the SJHL.
The Chiefs are also coached by Manny Viveiros, who led the Broncos to the WHL championship in 2018 during his second and final season behind the bench for the Broncos. Overage defenseman Noah King also patrols the blueline for the Chiefs. The former Broncos blueliner has 30 points and a plus-42 rating in 55 games with the Chiefs.