Broncos Beat Hurricanes 4-1

LETHBRIDGE - Three second period goals lifted Siwft Current past the Lethbridge Hurricanes 4-1 last night at the Enmax Centre.

No scoring in the first period last night. The Canes' had a few good chances and so did the Broncos for that matter. Lethbridge out shot Swift Current 10-6 through 20 minutes. The big story I guess in that first period were a couple of injuries for Lethbridge. Late in the period on a Swift Current power play, Carter Bancks left the ice after blocking a shot. He went to the dressing room in what looked to be considerable pain. Not too longer after, Phil Tot left after blocking a shot on the same Broncos power play. He limped off to the dressing room for some attention. This was Tot's first game back after missing the past week with a concussion. Tot returned in the second, but Bancks did not. I was told Bancks went to the hospital to have x-rays after he took that hard shot off one of his forearms.

In the second, the offence begins for both teams. The Broncos opened the scoring on a power goal by Derek Claffey. The Canes' got that one back on a power play of their own when Dustin Donaghy once again scored, this time his 3rd of season to even the score. Seconds after right off the draw at centre ice, Swift Current regained the lead on a two-on-one rush as Stepan Novotny beat Linden Rowat. A few minutes later, Novotny would once again find the back on the net to put the visitors up 3-1. Swift Current had scored three times on just 12 shots up to that point. The Hurricanes held the edge in shots after 40 minutes, 16-13.

In the third, the Broncos would add one more to take a 4-1 lead when Justin Dowling scored to pretty much ice the game for Swift Current. The Broncos now move two points ahead of Moose Jaw into 7th place in the Eastern Conference. The Canes' out shot the Broncos handily in this one 30-16, but again the offence just wasn't there. Lethbridge has just two wins in it's last 17 games.

WHL Playoff Hockey in Lethbridge This Year??

I know that might sound crazy, but there is a possibility. Of course the Hurricanes are not going to make the post-season, but there's a chance that if the Broncos do, the Enmax Centre could be their play-off home away from home for the first round. Jon Keen, the radio voice of the Broncos spoke with me last night and said because of the World Curling Championships taking place in Swift Current in March, the Broncos are unable to play a playoff game at the Credit Union i-Plex during that time. One of the options being considered for Swift Current is playing their first round games in another vacant rink or playing all seven in their opponent's rink. Keen says Lethbridge is one of those possible sites being looked at. He told me that as far as he knows, Canes' Governor Herman Elfring has waved the territorial rights that would allow Swift Current to use the Enmax Centre for their home games in the first round, should they make the post-season. Should be interesting if that does happen. We'll see what takes place over the course of the next few weeks.

Next Up

The Hurricanes play a busy stretch this weekend with three games in three nights starting tomorrow in Edmonton. The Canes' return home Saturday to host Kootenay and Sunday versus the Oil Kings.

Thanks,
Pat