Broncos Play Scrooge, Blank Ice On Teddy Bear Toss Night

Erik Felde's shorthanded goal 11:25 into the first period would stand up as the game winner as Travis Yonkman made all 34 saves for the shutout and the 1-0 Broncos win. The teddy bear's had to wait 'till the end of the game to be thrown on the ice as several fans tossed them in disappoint after the final buzzer went (pics below).

The Broncos saved the last period to play their best - outshooting the Ice 14-6 in the final frame while giving them only a couple of scoring chances along the way.

The Broncos actually did score an insurance marker as Dale Wiese slapped home the puck on a centering feed out of the corner on a delayed penalty. Referee Cory Maclean (who actually called a pretty good game), inadvertently blew his whistle when the puck was thrown out of the corner and in front of the net just as Wiese sent it home.

"He told me Kootenay touched it" Wiese said to me in the bus on the way over to BP's while explaining his animated conversation with the referee. Well, a member of the Ice didn't touch it until goaltender Kris Lazaruk scooped the puck out from the back of the net. Maybe it was payback. The Broncos lone goal of the night was offside and maybe should have been blown down.

Regardless, the Broncos didn't need the insurance as they held on for the 1-0 win. Pretty good way to start to six game road trip. The Broncos grinded one out, something they have been guilty of not doing very well this year.

Next up, the best team in the WHL in the Spokane Chiefs tomorrow night. We're on the air at 8:30pm SK time, 9pm play-by-play. It's another Teddy Bear Toss Night. Can the Broncos do it again?

Day 2 pics below

Broncos celebrate a midst of rain of Teddy Bears at the end of the game. This pic looks like it could have been taken at the I-plex doesn't it?

Assistant Coach Tim Kehler in the post-game Coaches Show.

Broncos post-game meal at Boston Pizza. Where else?

(l to r) Erik Felde, Dale Wiese, Levi Nelson, Spencer McAvoy put back the beef dip

Broncos leave the ice after big win. The Teddy Bear's continue to fall. A teddy bear came on to the ice with about a minute to play. Dale Wiese skated over to it and threw it back in the stands as to almost say "sorry, not tonight".

Levi Nelson reports for the game at 4:15pm. He's always the first one to show up at the rink on gamenights. Nelson, Erik Felde, Zack Smith, Paul Ayotte and myself chose to walk over from the hotel rather than catch the 4:45pm bus ride.

Nelson and Justin Dowling "toss some sauce" pre-game.

Broncos line-up for Oh Canada. The big line of Felde/Smith/Dansereau wwas reunited for tonight's game.