Liam Fitzgerald and Matthew Hodson scored twice, but it wouldn't be enough as the Humboldt Broncos outlasted the Richardson Pioneer Weyburn Red Wings Saturday, winning game two of their best-of-seven series 7-4. With the win, the Broncos now lead the series 2-0 as it comes to Weyburn for games three and four this coming week.
Weyburn did get on the board first, as Fitzgerald scored his first of the playoffs 2:44 into the game. He was assisted on the goal by Tyler Teasdale and Drew Molde. The lead, though, wouldn't last the period, as Humboldt replied when Oakley McIlwain scored at the 8:29 mark to tie things up. The Broncos took the lead with 7:19 remaining in the first to make it 2-1 with a goal from Travis Bryson.
In the second period, Matthew Van Blaricom scored his second of the playoffs 1:57 in to make it 3-1, but it would be exactly two minutes before the Red Wings replied.
Matthew Hodson took a feed from Max Monette and buried it behind Broncos netminder Benjamin Motew to make it 3-2. Jerome Maharaj had the other assist on the goal. The tally would also be the first of three goals in just over a minute, however, it would be Humboldt scoring the other two.
Cage Newans scored 54 seconds after Hodson to extend the lead back to two goals. The Newans marker would also spell the end of the night for Weyburn goalie Angelo Zol, who would be replaced by Dazza Mitchell. However, the first shot Mitchell faced, from Boris Kofman, would find the twine and put Humboldt up 5-2.
The Red Wings threw everything they had at the Broncos in the second period, tallying 21 shots. However, other than the early Hodson goal, nothing else would get by Motew for the rest of the period.
In the third, Patrick Lanthier would make it a 6-2 game. Weyburn, though, wasn't ready to give up.
Less than a minute after Lanthier extended the lead, Fitzgerald scored his second of the night to make it 6-3. Monette and Hodson had the assists on the goal. Then, five minutes later, Hodson notched his second of the game. Maharaj and Monette had the assists on the goal.
Weyburn continued to put a lot of pressure on the Broncos, looking to close the gap. Mitchell would even be pulled in favour of the extra attacker. The empty net, though, would be scored on by Ben Costantino. His second of the playoffs came with 1:17 left in the game.
The Red Wings will now have two days to prepare for the next two games of the series, which will be played Tuesday and Wednesday at Crescent Point Place.