The Swift Current Broncos (14-15-0-1) penalty kill unit came up clutch Saturday night, going a perfect five for five, including a five-minute kill in the third period, as the Broncos downed the Red Deer Rebels (22-6-1-3) 4-1.
Just like the previous night in Edmonton, the Broncos jumped out to a 1-0 lead just 39 seconds into the game. Off a faceoff win in the Red Deer zone, the Broncos went across the blue line and Owen Pickering’s shot from the left point deflected off a Rebel and in, giving Swift Current the lead.
Less than five minutes later the Broncos added to their lead thanks to a great set up by Connor Hvidston. Starting from his own zone, Hvidston skated all the way behind the Red Deer net before sliding the puck in front for Brady Birnie who fired home his fifth of the year. Saturday was also Birnie’s 100th career WHL game.
The Rebels got one back shortly after as Birnie’s cousin Carson intercepted a pass in the Broncos zone and beat Gage Alexander blocker side to cut the Swift Current lead in half.
The Broncos responded nicely however, quickly restoring their two-goal lead. Adam McNutt fired a breakaway pass to Birnie who was behind the Rebels defence, and after being unable to beat Kelsey on the backhand, Birnie centred for Luke Mistelbacher who hammered in his fourth goal of the year to make it 3-1. McNutt was also skating in his 100th career WHL game on Saturday.
Swift Current took the 3-1 lead into the first intermission with the Rebels leading in shots at 14-12.
The game remained 3-1 through 40 minutes as well, with the big moment of the second period being a penalty killing sequence by the Broncos. The Rebels had a 34-second five-on-three man advantage, but the Broncos got through it before killing off the remaining 1:26 of the second penalty, keeping their 3-1 lead into the intermission.
Hvidston received a penalty shot in the third period, the third straight game the Broncos had a penalty shot, but was denied by the blocker of Kelsey to keep the game 3-1.
Josh Davies was given a five-minute major for kneeing Frantisek Formanek with nine minutes left in regulation, but the Broncos limited the Rebels opportunities on the man advantage, getting through the entire five minutes without a goal against.
After failing to connect on a late power play of their own, Raphael Pelletier sealed the win for the Broncos by hitting the empty net with 45 seconds left in regulation.
The win snapped an 11-game losing streak to Red Deer dating back to the 2019-20 season, and was the first time the Broncos had won their last game before the Christmas break since 2017-18.
Swift Current is now off until December 28 when they travel to Medicine Hat to face the Tigers for the first of eight meetings in the second half.