The Swift Current Broncos dropped their final game ahead of the Christmas break on Sunday afternoon 7-4 to the Calgary Hitmen.
Things started alright for the Broncos, scoring first thanks to Maddix McCagherty’s fourth of the season. However, the party ended quick as the Hitmen scored three times within 90 seconds in the first to jump out to a 3-1 lead. Oliver Tulk, Sean Tschigerl, and Wyatt Pisarczyk all scored for Calgary in that stretch. That chased Broncos netminder Joey Rocha after just over five minutes and five shots.
Tyson Laventure got the Broncos back to within one later in the frame, but that seemed to be the theme as the rest of the game rolled on as Calgary got a shorthanded goal to restore the two goal lead to end the first period.
A Connor Hvidston powerplay goal got the deficit back to one in the second period, but it was answered by Maxim Muranov of the Hitmen to make it 5-3. Zach Turners second in as many nights brought it back to one goal once again later in the second, but that’s as close as the Broncos could get.
Keets Fawcett and David Adazynski scored for Calgary in the third as the Broncos pressed, but couldn’t get the next goal they needed to tie the hockey game.
In relief, Matthew Kieper stopped 31 of 34 shots he saw. Clarke Caswell also had a great night offensively, getting involved on all four goals, earning assists on all of them.
The Broncos had six chances on the powerplay, but only scored the one aforementioned goal. The penalty kill was solid, killing off all four chances it had in the contest.
Swift Current will return to action on December 27 when they visit the Lethbridge Hurricanes.