The Swift Current Broncos playoff hopes suffered another setback on Sunday in a 5-2 loss to the host Calgary Hitmen as their grip on a playoff spot grew perilously delicate.
The Hitmen opened the scoring with a Steel Quiring goal only 4:57 after the opening whistle. They doubled the lead at the 13:36 mark with a Tyson Galloway goal. The Broncos responded 1:13 later when Josh Filmon notched his 23rd goal of the season.
The Hitmen scored the only goal of the second period with a power play goal from Zac Funk. They added to the lead in the third period with a Grayden Siepmann goal. Karson King answered for the Broncos with his 11th goal of the season on a rebound opportunity to extend his point streak to nine games. Trey Patterson closed the scoring with an empty net goal.
Isaac Poulter made 43 saves in a losing cause. Brayden Peters made 29 saves to improve to 21-21-2-1.
The Broncos finished the weekend with a 26-33-5-2 record in eighth spot in the Eastern Conference. Calgary sat ninth with a 25-31-6-2 record, only one point back of the Broncos with two games in hand. The Prince Albert Raiders are also two points behind Swift Current with two games in hand.
The Broncos will be idle and keeping a close eye on the scoreboard until Friday when they host Connor Bedard and the Regina Pats in their second last game of the regular season. The Pats are six points back of the Broncos with four games in hand.
The Broncos will conclude the regular season on April 15 when they host the Prince Albert Raiders.
