SWIFT CURRENT 2 VICTORIA 1
The Swift Current Broncos should always be so tired.
The Broncos, playing their fourth Western Hockey League road game in five nights, defeated the Victoria Royals 2-1 in overtime Saturday before 5,135 fans at Save-on-Foods Memorial Centre.
Glenn Gawdin scored the winner at 3:27 of overtime as Swift Current leveled its record at 4-4 while Victoria went to 1-4-1.
“They [Broncos] have had a lot of travel, and we tried to pressure them and wear them down,” said Royals head coach Dave Lowry.
But that proved easier said than done.
Victoria power forward Austin Carroll tied it 1-1 at 5:07 of the third period. The 20-year-old showed why he received an extended look by the Calgary Flames this fall by swooping to the crease down the left side and deftly lifting the puck just under the crossbar and past the ample frame of six-foot-four Broncos goaltender Landon Bow.
“It was a close game,” said Carroll.
“Even though we lost in overtime, it was a building block for us.”
The assist on Carroll’s goal came from the versatile Jack Walker, who was moved up to forward from defence for the game and was a key part of Victoria’s best line, which consisted of himself, Carroll and Tyler Soy.
“It was a slow start but we got better in the second and third periods,” said Walker.
“We definitely could have won it in regulation time.”
The Swift Current defence, however, is huge and kept the Royals at bay for the most part. There’s not a player on the Broncos blueline listed under six-foot, including 2013 NHL second-round draft pick and Canadian junior team prospect Dillon Heatherington at six-foot-four and 2014 NHL draft third-rounders Brett Lernout at six-foot-four and Brycen Martin at six-foot-two. The Royals forwards had trouble seeing around them, never mind getting around them.
And behind that big back line was Bow, who takes up a lot of the net. The Swift Current goaltender was outstanding in blocking 36 Royals shots. Coleman Vollrath made 24 saves for Victoria.
“I can’t be disappointed with the effort,” said Lowry.
“I liked the way we competed.”
Maybe the only miscue was a poor clearing attempt from Dante Hannoun that allowed Swift Current to get the jump with a goal by 2012 Flames draft pick Coda Gordon at 6:41 of the first period. The Royals now ready themselves for Monday’s much-anticipated game against Portland at the Memorial Centre in a reprise of last spring’s acrimonious second-round playoff series won by the Winterhawks.
“We have to keep it in check Monday, from an emotional stand point,” said Lowry.
“That playoff series was last season. This season [is different] — they [Winterhawks] are trying to find wins and we’re trying to find our identity.”
ICE CHIPS: The Royals were missing four veterans with Brandon Fushimi, Axel Blomqvist, Jake Kolhauser and Brandon Magee out . . . The Broncos are coached by Swift Current native and former NHLer Mark Lamb, who played 30 games for the Nanaimo Islanders during their lone season in the WHL in 1982-83
