Broncos are the West’s best

Swift Current wins third WHL title in city’s history

The Broncos celebrate with the Ed Chynoweth Cup.

    SWIFT CURRENT, Sask. – For the first time in 25 years, Swift Current is the “title town” of the WHL.

    On Sunday before a sellout crowd of 2,890 spectators at the Innovation Credit Union i-Plex, the host Swift Current Broncos blanked the Everett Silvertips 3-0 in Game 6 of the WHL Championship series. With the win, the Broncos claimed the best-of-seven series 4-2 to capture the Ed Chynoweth Cup.

    For the Broncos, it marked the third time they’ve won the league title in the team’s history in Swift Current.
    Their other victories came back in 1989 and 1993. Those three title win by the Broncos mark the last three times a Saskatchewan based team has captured the WHL crown.

    The Broncos also won the WHL title in 1983, when the franchise was located in Lethbridge.

    Veteran 19-year-old netminder Stuart Skinner made 31 saves to pick up his sixth shutout win of the post-season for the Broncos, and when the dust settled, the Edmonton product tried to find a way to express the joy of the moment.

Giorgio Estephan had the first goal on Sunday for the Broncos.

    “You can’t really put it into words,” said Skinner, who had a 2.20 goals against average and a .932 save percentage in the playoffs. “These group of guys are my family.

    “I will always remember this. No one will ever forget this. You can’t put into words how incredible it is and how good it feels to lift that cup over your head.”

    The Broncos had a big start jumping out to a 1-0 lead at the 6:41 mark of the first period. While working on the power play, star left-winger Aleksi Heponiemi found centre Giorgio Estephan with a backdoor pass, and Estephan buried his 13^th goal of the post-season into an empty cage.

    As the opening 20 minutes neared a close, it appeared the Silvertips were going to withstand the Broncos initial push outside of Estephan’s goal. That changed in the dying seconds of the frame.

    Broncos defenceman Sahvan Khaira fired a shot from the point, and the puck squeaked between the legs of Silvertips star netminder Carter Hart and slid loose behind him in the crease.

The Broncos celebrate Giorgio Estephan’s power-play goal.

    Heponiemi, who is from Tampere, Finland, tucked home a loose puck to give the Broncos a 2-0 lead with 0.6 seconds remaining on the clock.

    Broncos star right-winger Tyler Steenbergen said that second goal put his team in a really good spot for the night.

    “It turned out to be huge,” said Steenbergen, who had an assist on the Broncos first goal. “We had the momentum going into the second.

    “They pushed back a little bit. At the end of the day, we got it done.”

    The Silvertips outshot the Broncos 14-8 in the second period, and Skinner’s play was key to the hosts holding on to their two-goal edge. While working on the power play early in the second, the Broncos gave the puck away in front of their own net to Silvertips left-winger Sean Richards.

Stuart Skinner makes one of his 31 saves for the Broncos on Sunday.

    Richards broke in alone on Skinner and was stoned by the Swift Current puck stopper. Later on in the second, Skinner proceeded to turn away a Silvertips chance during a frantic net scramble, and he stopped a couple of dangerous screen shots.

    “He (Skinner) is outstanding,” said Broncos head coach and director of player personnel Manny Viveiros. “He is a big reason why we are here right now.

    “Without goaltending like that, we don’t have a chance. He has been the difference all the way through.”

    In the third, the Broncos sealed things up defensively not allowing the Silvertips really any real quality chances. Russian import defenceman Artyom Minulin and centre Matteo Gennaro came up with solid shot blocks on Silvertips captain Matt Fonteyne and left-winger Connor Dewar respectively.

Broncos LW Aleksi Heponiemi (#20) gets by Silvertips RW Patrick Bajkov.

    With 6.4 seconds remaining in the third period, Broncos left-winger Beck Malenstyn rounded out the scoring with an empty-net goal to put the hosts up 3-0, and that caused the spectators in attendance to explode in euphoria.

    “It is probably the most fun I have had in a playoff series especially here right now,” said Broncos captain Glenn Gawdin, who has been with the club for five full seasons. “It is nuts in here.

    “That’s what you want. To win like this makes it even more sweeter. Words can’t describe how I am feeling right now, so I am just going to enjoy it.”

    Having played with the Broncos for four seasons, Steenbergen just wanted to soak in the celebration as well.

    “It is unbelievable,” said Steenbergen. “It is one of the best feelings in the world winning, especially doing it with this group of guys.

The Broncos fans celebrate their team’s WHL title victory.

    “It is the best feeling anyone can ask for.”

    Hart turned away 22-of-24 shots to take the setback in goal for the Silvertips, who finished third overall in the WHL regular season standings with a 47-20-2-3 record.

    Gawdin, who is in his overage season and has a three-year NHL entry-level contract signed with the Calgary Flames, was named the MVP of the WHL playoffs recording 14 goals, 18 assists and a plus-10 rating in the plus-minus department in 24 post-season appearances. The Richmond, B.C., product had an assist on the Broncos second goal.

Glenn Gawdin takes a lap with the Ed Chynoweth Cup.

    “He (Gawdin) is everything,” said Viveiros. “He is a poster child for this league coming back as a 20-year-old and going to turn pro.

    “He wanted to get back with his teammates and finish this off right, a wonderful young man (and) an incredible ambassador for the league.”

    With the win, the Broncos, who finished second overall in the WHL regular season with a 48-17-5-2 mark, advance to the Memorial Cup CHL championship tournament, which begins Friday in Regina. The Broncos claimed their only Memorial Cup title back in 1989, when the event was held in Saskatoon.

    Steenbergen is looking forward with excitement with what is next for his team.

    “It is going to be pretty crazy,” said Steenbergen. “It will be my first time there, and I can’t wait.”

    Last year, Skinner backstopped the Lethbridge Hurricanes to the WHL Eastern Conference Championship series, where they fell 4-2 to the Regina Pats.
    He came to the Broncos in a blockbuster trade on Jan. 9 and is pumped to get the chance to play in major junior hockey’s most prestigious event.

Giorgio Estephan (#29) and Stuart Skinner enjoy the Ed Chynoweth Cup.

    “Every single year, it has gotten closer and closer,” said Skinner. “Now, we are going to the Memorial Cup.

    “You can’t really put this into words. Being able to say that we are going to the Memorial Cup, it is unbelievable. This city has been waiting for it for a few years now. Being able to be the goalie to do it with them, it is the best feeling ever.”

    If you have any comments you would like to pass along about this post, feel free to email them to stankssports@gmail.com.

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Oh Captain! My Captain! – Gawdin’s hatty delivers Broncos to 3-2 overtime comeback win

Glenn Gawdin’s hat trick delivered the Broncos to victory.

    Glenn Gawdin was “captain clutch” once again for the Swift Current Broncos.

    On Tuesday night at the Angel of the Winds Arena, Gawdin had all three of the Broncos goals including the late third period equalizer and the overtime winner to deliver Swift Current to a 3-2 victory over the host Everett Silvertips in Game 3 of the WHL Championship series. With the overtime win, the Broncos take a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven series.

    Game 4 is set for Wednesday at 7 p.m. local time at the Angel of the Winds Arena. The Silvertips also host Game 5 of the series slated for Friday.

    The Silvertips built a 2-1 lead in the first period before 4,872 spectators and that edge help up until late in the third. With the Broncos killing a penalty, Swift Current right-winger Beck Malenstyn and Gawdin, who is the Broncos captain, broke into the Everett zone on a two-on-two rush.

    Malenstyn dropped a pass to Gawdin, who fired a long drive on goal. Silvertips star netminder Carter Hart stopped the long shot, but gave up a big rebound. Gawdin drove to the Everett goal after his first shot and banged home the rebound to force a 2-2 tie with 3:17 to play in the frame.

    Just 2:40 into overtime, Broncos offensive defenceman Colby Sissons fed a pass from the left corner boards in the Everett zone to Gawdin in the high slot. The Richmond, B.C., product fired home the winning goal to the top left corner of the Silvertips goal to give the Broncos their second straight overtime victory of the series.

    On Saturday in Swift Current, the Broncos rallied back from a 3-0 deficit in the first period to post a 4-3 victory in overtime in Game 2 of the WHL title series.

    In Tuesday’s clash, Gawdin gave the Broncos a 1-0 lead at the 14:44 mark of the first period taking a drop pass from linemate Aleksi Heponiemi and firing a shot from the right slot to the top left corner of the Silvertips goal.

    The Silvertips pulled even at 1-1 just 60 seconds later, when centre Riley Sutter tipped home a point shot from defenceman Jake Christiansen. The goal stood up after a video review.

Patrick Bajkov left for the Silvertips dressing room twice on Tuesday.

    With 1:25 remaining in the first, Silvertips captain Matt Fonteyne threw a bad angle shot on the Swift Current goal, and the puck found its way into the net past Broncos goalie Stuart Skinner.

    The scored remained 2-1 in Everett’s favour after 40 minutes thanks to a great diving save by Skinner on a one-timer from Fonteyne in the second period. Fonteyne received a pass from linemate Garrett Pilon from across the front of the Swift Current goal but was unable to drive the puck home.

    That set the stage for Gawdin to complete his hat trick dramatics with a goal late in the third and in overtime. During his WHL career, Gawdin has come through in many critical moments for the Broncos.

    Skinner turned away 37 shots to pick up the win in goal for the Broncos. Hart stopped 29 shots to take the setback in the Silvertips net.

    Sissons finished with two assists for the Broncos, while Christiansen had two helpers for the Silvertips.

    Silvertips star overage right-winger Patrick Bajkov left for his team’s dressing room a couple of times during the contest.

    With the win, the Broncos insured that their season will make it back to Saskatchewan. They could return to Swift Current for either Games 6 or 7 of the WHL Championship series, which are set for this coming Sunday and Monday respectively. The Silvertips have to win one of the next two games of the WHL title series for that to happen.

    If the Broncos manage to win the WHL title series in Everett, they will advance to play in the Memorial Cup championship tournament to play for the CHL title, and that event runs May 18 to 27 in Regina.

Back in the Express with Rush’s Thompson

Rush transition player Jeremy Thompson is a fan favourite.

    I was back in the pages of the Saskatoon Express with a story on Jeremy Thompson, who is a transition player for the Saskatchewan Rush of the National Lacrosse League.

    Thompson has been a fan favourite since the Rush franchise relocated from Edmonton to Saskatoon before the start of the 2016 season.

    He grew up in the Onondaga Nation located near Syracuse in upstate New York, and he said lacrosse is very important to his people. The sport came from the Iroquois Confederacy, which the Onondaga Nation is part of.

    Children of the Onondaga Nation are given a homemade traditional wooden lacrosse stick in their cradle when they are born. In death, they carry a traditional wooden lacrosse stick in their casket.

    The cultural link to lacrosse is part of Thompson’s fascinating story.

    This season, he played in all of the Rush’s 18 regular season games collecting six goals and nine assists. Thompson finished fourth in the NLL with 234 faceoff wins and second with 164 loose ball pick ups.

    The Rush finished first overall in the entire NLL this season with a 14-4 record. On Sunday, the Rush host their archrivals the Calgary Roughnecks in the Western Division final on Sunday at 5 p.m. at the SaskTel Centre.

    The Roughnecks finished third in the Western Division with an 8-10 mark and upset the Colorado Mammoth 15-12 in a Western Division semifinal contest last Saturday. The Mammoth were second in the Western Division with an 11-7 record.

    The Rush claimed all three regular season encounters with the Roughnecks this season. The Rush prevailed 13-12 on Jan. 27 in Calgary, 10-6 on Feb. 24 in Saskatoon and 11-10 on April 28 in Saskatoon.

    Saskatchewan had the top two scorers in the league during the regular season. Veteran forward Mark Matthews topped the NLL in scoring with 32 goals and 84 assists, and forward Robert Church finished second in the league scoring race with 47 goals and 60 assists.

    Curtis Dickson topped the Roughnecks in regular season scoring and placed seventh overall in the league with 47 goals and 45 assists.

    The Rush are trying to advance to the NLL Championship series for the fourth straight year having claimed a league title in 2015, when the franchise was still in Edmonton, and another league championship in 2016, which was the team’s first campaign in Saskatchewan.

    The story on Thompson can be found right here.

    If you have any comments you would like to pass along about this post, feel free to email them to stankssports@gmail.com.

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Broncos poised to be a major force in WHL

Broncos RW Tyler Steenbergen (#17) circles past Pats C Matthew Bradley.

    REGINA, Sask. – The small Swift Current Broncos contingent could be heard loud and proud among the sellout crowd of 6,484 spectators on Sunday afternoon at the Brandt Centre.

    Come May, it is highly possible that small contingent could multiply into a massive amount of supporters, if the Broncos are able to win their first WHL championship since 1993 and earn a berth in the Memorial Cup. Regina hosts major junior hockey’s national championship tournament from May 18 to 27.

    On Sunday, the Broncos downed the Memorial Cup hosting Regina Pats 4-1 in what was viewed as an expected heavyweight WHL tilt. Both teams made a number of moves in the weeks leading up to the WHL’s trade deadline on January 10 to stock up for a lengthy playoff run.

    The Broncos have hovered near the top of the WHL standings all season and currently sit second overall with a 35-12-3-1 mark.

Netminder Stuart Skinner was a major addition to the Broncos.

    They are coming off an exciting playoff run last season, where they fell in a series deciding Game 7 to the Pats in the second round by a 5-1 score. Regina moved on to the WHL Championship series falling to the Seattle Thunderbirds.

    The Pats stocked up due to the fact they are hosting the Memorial Cup, and they hold the first wildcard spot in the WHL’s Eastern Conference with a 25-22-5 record. They sit two points up on the Saskatoon Blades (25-23-2-1) and six points up on the Prince Albert Raiders (20-20-7-2). The Blades and Raiders had one game and three games in hand respectively on the Pats.

    While the Broncos are deep on forward and defence, one of their key aces is netminder Stuart Skinner. The Broncos acquired Skinner in a blockbuster multiplayer trade on Jan. 9 with the Lethbridge Hurricanes, and the addition of the Edmonton product gave Swift Current a battle hardened playoff netminder.

Aleksi Heponiemi had a goal and two assists on Sunday.

    The 19-year-old Skinner helped power the Hurricanes into the WHL’s Eastern Conference Championship series last season, where they bowed out to the Pats in six games.

    Skinner was outstanding on Sunday turning away 41 shots to back the Broncos victory. Arguably, one of his best saves came in the second period with the Broncos holding a 1-0 edge.

    Pats star captain Sam Steel made a perfect backdoor feed across the front of the Swift Current goal to linemate Cameron Hebig, who let the shot go as soon as the puck hit his stick. Skinner got across to deny the scoring chance.

    Skinner held the Broncos in during a sluggish start in the first period, when the Pats stormed out of the game to an early 8-1 edge in the shots on goal department. With Skinner keeping the Pats off the scoreboard, the Broncos had time to find their legs.

    With 1:15 to play in the opening frame, Broncos left-winger Beck Malenstyn, who was with the Calgary Hitmen last season, found a loose puck in front of the Regina goal and popped home the first goal of the contest to give the Broncos a 1-0 lead. Malenstyn’s tally during a spurt of four-on-four action changed the completion of the contest.

Glenn Gawdin scored his 40th goal of the season.

    The Broncos edge grew to 2-0 when centre Matteo Gennaro, who was also with the Hitmen last season, roofed home a turnaround shot past Pats netminder Ryan Kubic.

    Swift Current also showed the damage it could do on the power play. At the 5:31 mark of the third, Finnish import left-winger Aleksi Heponiemi converted a perfect backdoor feed from Gennaro to give the Broncos a 3-0 lead.

    After the Pats cut the Broncos lead to 3-1 on a point shot through a screen by defenceman Cale Fleury, the Broncos rounded out the game’s scoring with a beauty power-play tally from their top line of Heponiemi, captain Glenn Gawdin and star right-winger Tyler Steenbergen.

    On a tick-tack-toe passing play, Heponiemi and Steenbergen set up Gawdin on a perfect backdoor play, and the Richmond, B.C., product buried his 40^th of the season with 3:58 to play in the third. Heponiemi picked up his second assist of the night on Gawdin’s goal.
    The Broncos went 2-for-4 with the man advantage and killed off all three of the Pats power-play chances.

    Kubic made 31 stops to take the setback in goal for the Pats. The St. Andrews, Man., product didn’t have a bad game.

The Broncos fan contingent was loud and proud on Sunday.

    He was bested by a goalie in Skinner who can make the impossible looking save to take away a sure goal.

    The Pats fans in attendance on Sunday were vocal in their support of their team. While the support is there, they have to wonder if their club will turn into a squad that can best a side like the Broncos or the WHL leading Moose Jaw Warriors (39-8-1-2).

    The Broncos are built to gun for the Warriors. Due to the way the WHL’s playoffs are structured, it is unfortunate one of those two clubs will be eliminated at least in the second round of the post-season due to the fact they are part of an ultra-competitive East Division.

    Both the Broncos and Warriors would love to only make a short trip east down the Trans-Canada Highway in May to the Memorial Cup as league champs.

The Broncos expect to celebrate a lot of wins like they did on Sunday.

    With the fans that would be sure to follow from their respective centres, the Broncos or the Warriors would easily be considered a second home team, if either make it that far.

    The Broncos won their only Memorial Cup championship in 1989, when the event was held in Saskatoon, Sask. Their fans have to be giddy about the prospect of winning major junior hockey’s biggest crown in a Saskatchewan centre once again.

    If you have any comments you would like to pass along about this post, feel free to email them to stankssports@gmail.com.

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    If you like what you see here, you might want to donate to the cause to keep independent media like this blog going. Should you choose to help out, feel free to click on the DONATE button in the upper right corner. Thank you for stopping in.