The Swift Current Broncos opened their three game Alberta road swing with a 3-2 loss to the Red Deer Rebels on Thursday night.
It was a back-and-forth game with neither team holding more than a one goal lead at any point in the contest.
Goals didn’t come until the second period when Kai Uchacz scored on the powerplay for Red Deer to make it 1-0, but a few minutes later, it was Rylan Gould who responded for the Broncos and tie things up after two periods.
Red Deer pulled ahead in the third with a Zane Saab goal, but it was answered by Brady Birnie’s 12th marker of the season. However, a late penalty by the Broncos Caleb Wyrostok sent the Rebels to a powerplay, which they capitalized on with Hunter Mayo. The Broncos would push hard late, even with a powerplay of their own, but couldn’t get one more equalizer, falling for the just the second time in regulation in their last seven games.
Birnie also added an assist for the Broncos and said special teams were the biggest difference in the game.
“I wasn’t mad with our game, I thought we played pretty good,” he said. “They played pretty well too, their goalie was good. I just think the difference is they scored a couple of powerplay goals and we weren’t able to score on the powerplay so if we can just clear that up we should be ok.”
Both teams had four powerplays in the hockey game. Birnie added they can’t dwell on this one too much.
“We have a game tomorrow, got to focus on Edmonton now, flip that switch and get ready to get the job done there and get the two points,” Birnie said.
Joey Rocha stopped 29 of 32 in the loss.
The Broncos continue their three-game Alberta road swing on Friday night in Edmonton against the Oil Kings. You can hear the game live on Country 94.1 FM with Redhead Equipment Case IH Broncos Hockey starting at 7:45pm.