Hurricanes Fall Short in Swift Current to Broncos on Saturday
Swift Current, SK – The Lethbridge Hurricanes played the second of a home-and-home set against the Swift Current Broncos as they were downed 3-1 at the InnovationPlex on Saturday.
It was the second-straight game between the Hurricanes and Broncos after Lethbridge earned a 5-3 win on Friday at the ENMAX Centre. Swift Current had a great start to the contest outshooting the Hurricanes early as they carried the five-on-five play. The Broncos opened the scoring at the 7:08 mark when Luke Mistelbacher tapped home a loose puck in front for his fourth goal of the season to put Swift Current ahead 1-0; Connor Gabriel and Josh Fluker earned the assists on the goal. Lethbridge pushed back late in the period with a power play opportunity but couldn’t solve Matthew Kieper who turned aside all six Lethbridge shots in the period while Brady Smith – who made his fourth start of the season – stopped seven of the eight Swift Current shots in the opening frame.
The Broncos came out buzzing to open the second period with a trio of great chances, but Smith was sharp early stopping Clarke Caswell on a pair of looks on a two-on-one before he robbed Josh Filmon on a back-door play in the opening minute to keep it a 1-0 Swift Current lead. The Hurricanes were better in the middle frame as they generated more scoring chances than the first, but Kieper continued to be air-tight in the Broncos crease. Lethbridge had a great look to tie the game when Tyson Zimmer was sprung on a breakaway, but Kieper made a great pad save to keep the Broncos ahead. Late in the period, Swift Current doubled their lead when Mistelbacher ripped home his second goal of the game – and fifth of the season – to put the Broncos ahead 2-0 with 1:37 left in the period. Swift Current held the edge in shots 9-7 in the second period.
In the third period, the Broncos started the frame on a carry-over power play but couldn’t add to their lead as the ‘Canes killed off the remainder of a Miguel Marques penalty. The Hurricanes got on the board at the 4:09 mark as Logan Wormald tapped home his seventh goal of the season to make it a 2-1 game; Marques and Brayden Edwards earned the assists on the goal – Marques extending his point streak to five-straight games with the helper. Swift Current looked for an insurance goal on a power play midway through the period, but Smith was superb making a trio of great saves on Connor Hvidston and Owen Pickering to keep it a one-goal game. The Hurricanes pressed at the end for an equalizer with the goaltender pulled, but it was the Broncos who iced the game with an empty-net goal by Hvidston to round out the scoring as Swift Current hung on to a 3-1 victory.
Shots were even 8-8 in the third period, but the Broncos held the edge 25-21 in the contest. Lethbridge went 0/3 on the power play while Swift Current went 0/4 with the extra man.
Three stars of the game were:
1) Broncos – #13 Luke Mistelbacher (2 goals)
2) Broncos – #33 Matthew Kieper (20-saves)
3) ‘Canes – #18 Logan Wormald (1 goal)
The loss for the Hurricanes was their second-straight road defeat as their road record falls to 7-8-0-0 on the season while their overall record fell to 15-12-2-0 on the year. Lethbridge’s four-game winning streak against Swift Current ended as they fall to 7-2-0-0 in the last nine meetings against the Broncos dating back to last season.
The Hurricanes will return to the ENMAX Centre on Wednesday, December 13th when they welcome the Medicine Hat Tigers at 7:00pm in the first of a two-game homestand before hosting the Regina Pats on Friday, December 15th at 7:00pm. Tickets can be purchased by visiting the ENMAX Centre Ticket Centre, by calling 403-329-SEAT (7328) or online at www.enmaxcentre.ca.
