Broncos find ways to score against Oil Kings
The Swift Current Broncos found a way to score as they broke out of a five-game losing streak on Saturday. After being shut out in their past two games, the Broncos scored twice from bad angles and banked another puck off a defender during a 3-2 win over the visiting Edmonton Oil Kings.
“It for sure felt good,” said defenseman Matthew Stanley, who returned to the line-up from illness. “Nothing better than winning on a Saturday night in front of the crowd here. It felt great for me to get back in the line-up for sure.”
The Broncos had been held off the scoreboard in three of their previous four games. Head coach Dean Brockman said it was satisfying to see a few ugly ones go in.
“It is because you just don’t know when you’re going to score the next one,” said Brockman. “I thought we did a good job of just throwing pucks in pretty good spots. If you can do that you’re going to get second opportunities and we found a way to get some goals.”
The Broncos fired 10 shots on goal in the opening period and were rewarded when Andrew Fyten scored with only 13.7 second remaining in the period.
Fyten took advantage of a turnover in the corner and walked out front unimpeded before sneaking a backhand past Boston Bilous for his fifth goal of the season.
The two teams combined for four goals in a fast-paced second period. Rookie Ben King doubled the Broncos lead when his power play slap shot deflected home 3:53 into the middle stanza. Edmonton scored goals 2:01 apart from Brett Kemp and Ethan Cap to tie the game. Max Patterson scored a backhand goal while partially behind the goal line to restore the Broncos lead only 15 seconds after Capp had tied the game on the power play.
Broncos rookie Isaac Poulter improved to 2-5-0-0 with 31 saves, including a desperation save off of David Kope with 3:30 left in the game. Bilous took the loss with 19 saves to fall to 3–4-0-1.
Swift Current improved to 4-18-1-0, while Edmonton fell to 14–9-2-2.
“I think more importantly than the results, we’ve been trusting the process and playing our game well to our identity,” explained Fyten. “It’s nice to get a result tonight, a good outcome for us.”
The overage forward seemed to have a little extra jump in his step.
“We’ve only played two games in two weeks, so that really helps with the jump in that part of the game. I’m just trying to play the same way every night, play a hard twoway game and I think I did that tonight,” said Fyten.
“I think we’re not the most skilled team. We’ve just got to get pucks to the net, grind, work as hard as we can, and eventually they’ll start going in,” said Stanley.
“Yeah we’re a greasy team. We’re not going to score too many pretty goals. We’re going to score a lot of second opportunity goals, greasy goals in and around the net, so that’s good,” added Fyten.
Two of the Broncos’ four wins have come over Edmonton with one game remaining in the season series.
“I’m not sure what happens there. We’ve just been playing good against them and been coming out with the win. We just have to do that when we go there now,” said Stanley.
“I’m not too sure, maybe they just don’t like coming in here. We ran them over pretty good tonight, which is good for us,” said Fyten.
Stanley was playing in his first game since Nov. 3.
“I was really excited. The bronchitis I had just took a little bit out of me and I missed a few games there. I’m happy to be back with the boys and practicing and it’s good.”
The Broncos have three games this week, including a road trip to Lethbridge to visit the Hurricanes on Friday. The Broncos will also host the Brandon Wheat Kings on Saturday for their annual Pattison Agriculture Teddy Bear Toss.
The Broncos will also host the Canadian Hockey League’s top team on Wednesday when Marc Habscheid and the Prince Albert Raiders visit the Innovation Credit Union iplex. The Broncos lost the only previous meeting 6-2 in Prince Albert.