Swift Comeback: Tigers Tame Broncos in Thrilling Finish

Category: ArticleDecember 4, 2024

The Medicine Hat Tigers and Swift Current Broncos reignited their rivalry with a high-energy, action-packed opening period at the InnovationPlex, setting the stage for what would become a thrilling and unpredictable game. Both teams came out with intensity, but it was the Broncos who drew first blood.

The Tigers failed to clear the puck in their zone, and Luke Mistelbacher capitalized with a crisp pass to Clarke Caswell. Caswell made no mistake, firing the puck into an open net to give Swift Current the early lead.

Minutes later, the Tigers earned their first power play after Oasiz Weisblatt was taken down on a hooking call. Despite some pressure, the Broncos’ penalty kill unit held strong, keeping the Tigers off the board.

The pace remained high, with both teams trading chances, but Swift Current extended their lead later in the period as Rylan Gould carried the puck coast-to-coast down the wing and sent it into the slot, where it deflected off a defender’s skate and past Jordan Switzer, making it 2-0 Broncos.

Late in the frame, the Tigers earned another power play after Josh Van Mulligen drew a tripping penalty. Medicine Hat pressed hard, but Swift Current’s defence and goaltender continued to shut them down, ending the period with a 2-0 lead for the Broncos.

The second period saw both teams ramp up the intensity, with Swift Current extending their lead before the Medicine Hat began to claw back.

Just past the midway point of the period, Luke Mistelbacher broke into the Tigers’ zone, holding off a defender and firing a perfectly placed shot over Switzer’s glove to make it 3-0 Broncos.

Minutes later, the Tigers earned a power play after Mistelbacher was called for hooking on Gavin McKenna. Medicine Hat wasted no time capitalizing, as Shaeffer Gordon-Carroll delivered a slick spin pass to Liam Ruck, who chipped away at the Broncos’ lead, making it 3-1.

A minute later, the rivalry heated up with offsetting minors for roughing, creating a 4-on-4 stretch. While neither team found the net during the 4-on-4, Mistelbacher headed back to the box for cross-checking shortly after the penalties expired. Despite some pressure, the Tigers couldn’t convert, as the Broncos’ penalty kill held strong.

The Tigers outshot the Broncos 25-16 through two periods, setting up a critical third period as Medicine Hat looks to complete the comeback.

The final period began with controversy as Oasiz Weisblatt tangled with the Broncos’ centerman off the opening draw. As Weisblatt returned to his feet, Brady Birnie delivered a blatant cross-check well away from the play. Despite the reckless move, Swift Current was handed a minor penalty, while Veeti Vaisanen also received a minor for defending Weisblatt, resulting in 4-on-4 play once again.

Minutes later, the Tigers responded as Markus Ruck carried the puck along the wall and delivered a precise pass across the ice to his brother Liam Ruck, who fired a shot over Reid Dyck’s glove for his second goal of the game, narrowing the Broncos’ lead to 3-2.

The Tigers kept the pressure on, and Weisblatt found his redemption when Gavin McKenna set him up from the corner, and Weisblatt fired a shot past Dyck to tie the game 3-3, silencing the Swift Current crowd.

In the final minutes, both teams had opportunities to take the lead, with goalies making clutch saves and defenders stepping up to block dangerous shots. The intensity grew as the clock wound down, but neither side could break the deadlock until the game’s final seconds.

With just 16 seconds left in regulation, it would be Gavin McKenna who provided the game’s most dramatic moment. Chasing down a set pass from Weisblatt off the end boards to beat out the icing call, McKenna picked up the puck, and ripped it past Dyck off a sharp angle, securing a thrilling 4-3 comeback victory for the Tigers.

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