Broncos win at home to keep pace in Eastern Conference
The Swift Current Broncos won the home portion of a home-andaway set against the Prince Albert Raiders over the weekend as they maintained their position in the Western Hockey League Eastern Conference playoff race.
Friday, the Broncos got 19 saves from Reid Dyck to defeat the visiting Raiders 4-0.
Dyck stopped all 19 shots he faced for his first shutout in the WHL.
Sophomore forward Connor Hvidston was in on all four goals for his first career four-point outing.
The Broncos earned the initial lead in the first period when Hvidston converted a Sam Mcginley centering feed for his 13th goal of the season.
Brady Birnie doubled the lead midway through the second period with a wraparound goal, his 12th of the season. Birnie set up Owen Pickering for anoter goal on the same shift with a centering feed from behind the net for the Broncos captain’s seventh goal of the season.
Mathew Ward added a power play goal in the third period to reach the 20-goal plateau.
Dyck improved to 1014-1-0 for the Broncos. Tikhon Chaika made 31 saves to fall to 12-19-0-0.
Saturday, the Broncos were unable to complete a weekend sweep as they dropped the rematch 4-1 in Prince Albert.
Max Hildebrand made 33 saves to lift the Raiders to the win. Dyck took the loss with 17 saves for the Broncos.
The game got out to a promising start when Caleb Wyrostok scored the opening goal only 34 seconds into regulation for the Broncos.
The Raiders got goals from Harrison Lodewyk, Ryder Ritchie, Niall Crocker, and Keaton Sorensen to earn the win.
The Broncos finished zero-for-two on the power play, while the Raiders connected once on five man-advantages.
The Broncos finished the weekend in ninth spot in the Eastern Conference with a 24-22-1-2 record, only two points back of Regina for sixth with Calgary and Medicine Hat in between. Prince Albert improved to 20-28-3-0.
The Broncos will play three games at home this week beginning on Saturday with a visit from the Brandon Wheat Kings. The Broncos had a 15-90-2 home record coming out of the weekend.
The Broncos will also host the Winnipeg Ice on Monday at 4 p.m.
The Broncos will get a visit from the Memorial Cup host Kamloops Blazers on Wednesday.