Boston Pizza Post Game Recap: Haden, Blades down Broncos
A four-goal performance from Blades forward Gary Haden was to much to overcome as the Swift Current Broncos were beaten by a 5-2 score on Friday night.
The Blades went to quick work on the game’s first power play as Gary Haden scored 13 seconds into the man advantage to give Saskatoon a 1-0 lead.
Swift Current responded back in a big way with three great moments through the final seven minutes of the first period.
First, 19-year-old forward Ethan O’Rourke continued his goal-scoring streak by tipping in his seventh of the year. Connor Horning who was recently listed on NHL Central Scouting’s Midterm Rankings released a hard shot from the point that O’Rourke tipped by Blades netminder Nolan Maier.
A rare penalty shot opportunity was issued to the Blades’ Haden after he was tripped up on a breakaway attempt. The 19-year-old forward seeked his second goal but Broncos goaltender Isaac Poulter had other ideas and made a clutch save to keep the game knotted 1-1.
The period closed out with a goal from team captain Tanner Nagel with 4.3 seconds left in the frame. Nagel took a centering ice pass from Ethan Regnier who skated around from behind the Blades net and made no mistake, allowing the Broncos to carry a 2-1 margin at the first intermission.
Early in the second period, the Broncos’ Poulter denied Riley McKay on a shot from the right faceoff dot but Haden gathered the rebound and zipped it five-hole to tie it 2-2.
The 19-year-old then completed the hat trick as the Broncos saw themselves trailing 3-2 with 15:25 left in the middle frame and followed that up by redirecting in a Dawson Davidson point shot for his fourth of the night.
The rocky second period continued as Blades forward Eric Florchuk scored Saskatoon’s fourth goal of the period via a breakaway chance when he exited the penalty box after a Swift Current power play.
The Broncos would never recover as they dropped their fourth in a row overall after the 5-2 defeat.
Shots on goal were 45-22 in favour of Saskatoon. The Blades went 1/2 on the power play while the Broncos were 0/2.
Swift Current will hop on the bus and travel north for another tilt against the Saskatoon Blades, this time at the SaskTel Centre. Puck drop is set for 7:00pm CT.
