The Swift Current Broncos enter the holiday break on a high after defeating the visiting Kamloops Blazers 3-1 Saturday for their fifth straight win.
Just as they have all season, the Broncos found a way to win, despite being outshot 41-28 by a hard-working, heavy, Don Hay coached hockey team.
“I think for us it was just closing it out there in the third period,” noted captain Glenn Gawdin. “That’s huge for us, especially going down the stretch. The second half is a lot different than the first half. The teams get solid and it is almost playoff time. Closing those ones out, 2-1, they are almost playoff type games, being able to close those out are going to be good for us going down the road.”
Logan Flodell improved to 21-6-2-0 with a 40-save outing, including a penalty shot save on Tylor Ludwar in the second period. Dylan Ferguson took the loss with 25 saves to fall to 12-13-0-1.
The Broncos opened the scoring only 25 seconds in when Gawdin tapped home a perfect Artyom Minulin cross-eye feed for his 31st goal of the season. Owen Blocker fired home his first Western Hockey League goal to make it 2-0 for the Broncos. The Blazers responded with a Brady Reagan screened point shot goal with 5:59 left in the period for a 2-1 Swift Current lead after one period.
STEVEN MAH/SOUTHWEST BOOSTER
After a scoreless middle stanza, the Broncos held off the Blazers in the third period until Matteo Gennaro scored in the dying seconds to seal the win.
The Broncos will skate in the holidays with a 25-7-2-0 record, second best in the WHL behind only the Moose Jaw Warriors. Kamloops fell to 16-17-0-1 with a 3–2-0-1 mark on their East Division road trip.
The Broncos will now have 10 days off for the holidays until they host the Moose Jaw Warriors on Dec. 27.
