Boston Pizza Recap: Broncos fall 7-3 in Moose Jaw
Moose Jaw, Sask. – The Swift Current Broncos (28-30-1-3) didn’t give up a lot Sunday afternoon, but the Moose Jaw Warriors (38-22-0-3) were as opportunistic as can be, scoring seven times on 24 shots in a 7-3 final.
Swift Current went to the power play just 2:19 into the game and racked up shots on net, but were unable to solve Jackson Unger and open the scoring.
That allowed the Warriors to jump ahead 1-0 a few minutes later. After a few failed clears by the Broncos Logan Dowhaniuk threw the puck on net from the left point, and it sailed through traffic and into the net 7:22 into the game.
Five minutes later the Warriors added to their lead as Jagger Firkus took a centring feed from Martin Rysavy and buried his 33rd of the year at 12:23. Swift Current then ran into penalty trouble and saw Moose Jaw extend their lead.
With the Warriors on a 1:48 long five-on-three, Denton Mateychuk scored from the slot at 16:22 to push the Moose Jaw lead to 3-0. After Josh Filmon drew a penalty to send the two teams to four-on-four the Broncos would cut into the lead.
Grayson Burzynski was by himself in the Warriors zone and held onto the puck waiting for his teammates to join him off a line change. He found Mathew Ward coming down the slot and fed him the puck before Ward wired a shot off the back bar and out, getting the Broncos on the board with a minute to go in the period.
Swift Current trailed 3-1 heading into the first intermission, though outshooting Moose Jaw 14-7.
The Warriors then got their three-goal lead back early in the middle frame. Tate Schofer picked up a loose puck in the left circle and snapped a shot under the glove of Reid Dyck 3:05 into the second period.
The Broncos responded immediately, getting back within two just 30 seconds later. Sam McGinley raced down the left wing into the Warriors zone and went behind the net before wrapping the puck around and into the goal for his eighth of the season.
Just over a minute later, a strong forecheck by Ward and Brady Birnie led to a turnover, and Birnie’s pass from the left circle ramped off a Moose Jaw stick and into the net, cutting the deficit to just one with 15:06 to play in the period.
Swift Current continued to push but an unlucky break saw Moose Jaw jump ahead by two. Josh Filmon was reaching for a puck in the neutral zone but hit a rut in the ice and fell over. That allowed the Warriors to come in on an odd-man rush, and Ryder Korczak fired a drop pass into the net at 10:07 of the second.
The goal saw a goaltending change for the Broncos as Joey Rocha took over in goal.
Moose Jaw added a shorthanded goal late in the period when Mateychuk’s clearing attempt bounced off a stanchion and out to the neutral zone. Brayden Yager picked it up in stride and fired a shot over Rocha’s blocker off the rush as Moose Jaw took a 6-3 lead into the intermission.
The physicality ramped up in the third period as frustration began to set in for the Broncos. Mateychuk scored his second of the game on a power play with 2:04 to go in regulation to make the 7-3 final score.
The Broncos look to snap their four-game slide when they host the Saskatoon Blades (44-14-4-1) Wednesday night.
