The Broncos battled hard - had several chances to win it in regulation last night in Prince Albert - but in the end settle for just a single point in a 4-3 OT loss to the Raiders.
I was joking with Raiders play-by-play man Drew Wilson before the game about trying to do the Raiders a favour in their playoff battle with Regina and Edmonton.
I told him the two teams should try and make sure six points are awarded this weekend. He wouldn't go for two Bronco OT wins in the weekend home and home set but we settled on an OT win for the home team. I guess it's the Broncos turn tonight then. Do you think the rival Regina Pats would sign off on our deal??
The Broncos fell down 2-0 just eight minutes in as a determined Raiders team came out and forechecked hard. The shots were 12-2 before the Broncos woke up and decided to take the play to the Raiders. The Broncos also made a goaltending change after the Raiders 2nd goal as Morgan Clark came in for his 2nd appearance as a Bronco. He played well.
Goals from J-D (Justin Dowling) and Keegan Dansereau evened the score 2-2 after 40 minutes.
A powerplay goal from Justin Bernhardt 3:30 into the 3rd put the Raiders ahead 3-2 early but the Broncos turned the heat up and eventually tied it on a deflection from John Negrin with 6:40 to play.
The Broncos staged a furious attempt to win it in regulation and appeared to be a team playing like they were down two. I thought Justin Dowling had scored late on a 2-on-1 after his pass hit the stick of a Raiders defenseman and bounced over the shoulder and onto the back of Steven Stanford. Stanford did a combat roll of sorts and kept it out somehow.
A Derek Claffey penalty with 21 seconds to go in the third proved to be the difference as the Raiders red-hot powerplay struck just 25 seconds into OT for the 4-3 win.
The teams do it again tonight, this time at the Credit Union i-plex. 7pm pre-game show, 7:30pm play-by-play as the Broncos honour 13 individuals who helped bring the team back to Swift Current for the 86/87 season. Frank " Digger " Macbean is one of the 13. He was our guest last night on the pre-game show.
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Randoms....
- What do Moose Jaw and Medicine Hat have in common? Not much. But both teams have lost games 10-1 on the road the last month. We were scoreboard watching last night at the restaurant and couldn't believe the score coming out of Kelowna. One of those nights. It isn't fun being on the wrong end of those ones.
- What a time for the Warriors to hit the tank. They lost their 11th game in a row last night and haven't won at home since early December. The timing issue is that the City of Moose Jaw is about to have a plebiscite to decide on a the new Multiplex. An 11 game losing streak must be souring a few people. I think the vote will be decided by mere percentage points... but I'm not sure which way. For the sake of the WHL, let's hope we have a "Yes".
- I showed up to the rink yesterday with what looked like a tennis ball hidden below my eye. I took a puck just below my left eye Thursday night when I got my stick in front of a shot and it deflected straight up. No damage I don't think, but a swollen cheek and a black-eye. The guys seem to get a laugh out of it. Not often the broadcaster has to ask the trainer for an ice bag on the way home.
The timing isn't good, as I'm broadcasting the Sask Power Scotties Womens Curling Championship game tomorrow for SaskTel Max.
If you see me at the rink, that's what happened.
Have a good weekend,
Jon
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