Bounce Back Effort Comes Short in Swift Current

First Period
With the sting of a Home Opener loss in the rearview mirror, the Pats looked to return the favour in their first visit to Swift Current of the year.  The Pats managed to stem the tide early in an emotionally charged atmosphere and for the second game in a row, took the opening lead.  Midway through their first powerplay of the game, Chandler Stephenson made his presence felt as he toe-dragged around a Bronco penalty killer and sent the puck to the front of the net.  Dyson Stevenson redirected it behind Landon Bow for his first of the season and a 1-0 lead.  The Broncos, not to be outdone, took advantage of a late powerplay.  After Teagan Sacher made some excellent saves, they finally beat the Pats goalie in a flurry of action in front to tie the game with thirteen seconds left in the frame.  At the buzzer, tempers boiled over resulting in a massive scrum breaking off into a fight between Tye Hand and Tanner LeSann.

Second Period
The two combatants played at a breathtaking pace in the second period trading opportunities at both ends of the ice.  The goaltenders were equal to the task, though, and held the game tied through the first half of the period.  The big physical moment came when Julius Honka took the puck from his own end to the Pats’ only to be leveled by a shoulder check from Dyson Stevenson.  When Connor Sanvido disagreed with the treatment Stevenson delivered, the Pats’ over-ager obliged and took the better of the tilt.  On the resulting instigator penalty, the Pats’ powerplay connected with a great passing play running from Kyle Burroughs, though Morgan Klimchuk to Chandler Stephenson who finished the goal with a snap shot in off the crossbar.  The Pats got the goaltending they needed late as when Swift Current brought the pressure, Sacher came up with some brilliant saves to maintain the 2-1 lead heading to the third period.

Third Period
The Pats wouldn’t hold the lead long into the final period as on an early powerplay, the Broncos struck for their second goal of the night.  Planted in front, Colby Cave showed great touch to tip the puck by Sacher to square the game under two minutes in.  The great pace continued between the two teams, but momentum slowly slipped to the side of the Broncos and with another chance on the powerplay, they would make good.  Graham Black found some space in the slot and in his first game back from New Jersey Devils Training Camp, wristed the go ahead goal to the back of the net with just over six minutes remaining.  The Broncos went into the prevent defence from that point out and put on a clinic, restricting the Pats to only a handful of chances the rest of the way as they would hold on to the
3-2 lead and come away with the victory in their home opener.  Every goal in tonight’s game came on the powerplay.

Next Game: at Edmonton – Wednesday, September 25^th – 7:00 p.m. (CKRM)

Next Home Game: vs. Saskatoon – Sunday, October 6^th – 6:00 p.m. (CKRM)