The Swift Current Broncos scored three power play goals to defeat the Regina Pats 4-3 to open the 2025-26 Western Hockey League regular season under new head coach Dean DeSilva.
“I’m real happy for the players,” said DeSilva. “We started a little slow with the nerves and everything else. We could have folded the tent early on, especially as a young team. But the kids just dug in and they competed and they didn’t cheat the game. We talked a lot about that, that hockey is a game of karma and you have to build up your credits through hard work. I really loved how hard our guys competed. Once we got the nerves out of that first half of the first period, they really competed hard and they were rewarded for it.”
Keets Fawcett opened the scoring on the power play 17:09 into regulation for the Pats as they outshot the Broncos 14-8 in the opening frame.
The Broncos took the lead with three consecutive goals in the second period to lead 3-2. Sawyer Dingman tied the game from the slot 9:21 into the period. Stepan Kurychenkov gave the Broncos the lead with a deflection goal on the power play. Newcomer Zach Pantelakis doubled the lead 1:28 later with a second power play goal. Liam Pue replied for the Pats with his first WHL goal to close the period scoring.
Noah Kosick doubled the lead with 6:19 remaining in regulation when he walked in on the power plan fired home a third power play goal. Caden Brown got the Pats within one goal with 1:06 remaining, but the Pats were never able to threaten after that.
Joey Rocha earned the win with 30 saves on 33 shots to open the season. Taylor Tabashniuk took the loss with 25 saves.
The Broncos finished three-for-four on the power play, while the Pats were one-for-five on the man-advantage.
The Broncos will return to action in one week when they host the defending league champion Medicine Hat Tigers next Friday.
