TIGERS DROP 3-1 DECISION TO BRONCOS
Swift Current, SK – The Swift Current Broncos forced a one game showdown with the Medicine Hat Tigers for the final spot in the Eastern Conference Standings thanks to a 3-1 win Friday night at the i-Plex in Swift Current.
In front of a raucous crowd at the i-Plex the Tigers were dealt a rough hand early as three consecutive penalties would be assessed to the Tigers but the penalty kill was successful going three for three. But it would be the Broncos scoring first off a turnover on the Tigers transition out of their zone and Josh Filmon was able to break-in and beat goaltender Beckett Langkow (Vegreville, AB) for his 46th of the season and giving the Broncos a 1-0 lead which would carry into the second period. Langkow was busy in the Tiger net making 11 saves keeping his club in it early.
In the second period the Tigers would get an early power play but weren’t able to counter but were also busy on their own penalty kill once again taking a pair of penalties but again ran a clean sheet going 2/2 and a two period total of 5/5. Despite an influx of shots in the second from the Tigers with 14 to the Broncos 12, they weren’t able to solve Broncos goaltender Reid Dyck keeping the game 1-0 going to the third.
The Tigers would find ways to get back into the swing of things but still couldn’t solve Reid Dyck and the Broncos countered on turnovers as Caleb Wyrostok would break through and beat Langkow to make it 2-0 Broncos, with his 21st of the season at 4:45. But then the opportunity knocked for the Tigers as a they’d be rewarded with a 5 on 3 at 10:28 and Tigers forward Gavin McKenna (Whitehorse, YT) would end up hitting the post not once but twice on the same sequence still leaving the Tigers looking for answers. In the late moments of the power play, Caleb Wyrostok would be held down on a breakaway leading to a penalty shot for the Broncos and on that ensuing penalty shot, Wyrostok would beat Beckett Langkow to add to the Broncos lead of 3-0.
The Tigers would finally solve Reid Dyck at 13:40 as Gavin McKenna would take a feed from behind the Swift Current net from Tyler MacKenzie (Red Deer, AB) to give the Tigers a shot but it wouldn’t be enough to start a comeback and the Tigers would fall 3-1 to the 9th place Broncos.
Medicine Hat would end up outshooting Swift Current 31-29. The Tigers power play wasn’t able to benefit going 0/3 but the penalty kill thrown into action seven different occasions and the Tigers stood tall going 7/7.
After Friday’s loss the playoff scenario for the Tigers comes down to the following scenario. A win of any kind Saturday night at Co-op Place and the Tigers clinch a playoff spot. A loss in overtime or a shootout will force a one game tie breaker with the Broncos in Swift Current next week.
You can get your tickets for Saturday’s game at tixx.ca or the Co-op Place Box Office, it’s Fan Appreciation Night and plenty of prizes will be up for grabs so you won’t want to miss the final game of the regular season as the Tigers push for the playoffs comes full circle on Saturday.
