The Swift Current Broncos (30-32-1-3) were tied 2-2 with the Edmonton Oil Kings (9-52-4-0) through two periods Tuesday night, but a three-goal outburst in the final frame led Swift Current to a 5-2 win.
Mathew Ward got the offence started for the Broncos, scoring on the power play midway through the first period. Taking a rink-wide pass from Connor Hvidston, Ward fired a one timer past the glove of Logan Cunningham for his 26th goal of the season. Owen Pickering had the second assist on the goal.
The Broncos lead lasted for a little over three minutes before a turnover behind the Swift Current goal ended up in the net. Rhett Melnyk intercepted the loose puck and fired it to the slot where Mason Finley scored, tying the game at one with 6:51 remaining in the period.
The two teams went into the intermission tied at one with the shots also even at 11.
The game remained tied for most of the second period until Edmonton took their first lead of the night. On the power play, Cole Miller’s shot was stopped by the right pad of Reid Dyck but Finley knocked in the rebound for his second of the night at 13:14 of the period.
Swift Current didn’t waste much time getting back on even terms as Sam McGinley let a shot go through traffic to score his ninth of the season, tying the game at two just 2:31 after Edmonton had taken the lead.
The second intermission came with the teams tied at two, setting the stage for the Broncos third-period outburst.
Just under three minutes into the third, Caleb Wyrostok took a pass from Hvidston and raced up the ice in the Oil Kings zone. After getting to the right circle, Wyrostok threw the puck on net and beat Cunningham through the five hole for his 22nd of the season, restoring the Broncos lead at 3-2.
Less than two minutes later Josh Davies found a loose puck in the Broncos end and flew down the left wing, blowing by two defenders before beating Cunningham on the blocker side to make it 4-2 with the unassisted goal.
The physicality ramped up in the third period, beginning after Adam McNutt threw a huge open-ice hit on Edmonton’s captain Rhett Melnyk. Marshall Finnie came in as he and McNutt dropped the gloves following the hit.
Two more scraps took place in the third period as well, sandwiched between Brady Birnie scoring his 18th of the season to put the Broncos ahead 5-2.
Swift Current had to kill off a lengthy six-on-three penalty kill late in regulation as the Oil Kings pulled Cunningham for the extra attacker, but survived the kill to pick up the 5-2 win.
The Broncos now turn their attention to the Medicine Hat Tigers (28-28-8-1) for this weekend’s home-and-home set which will decide the Broncos playoff fate. The final home game of the regular season goes Friday night at 7:00.
Announced attendance was 1,702.