The Swift Current Broncos ended a memorable 2018 with a big of a down note falling 9-3 to Saskatoon in their final game of the calendar year.

In a year that saw a WHL Championship and the start of a new rebuild, the Broncos certainly saw more ups than downs in 2018.

Even the young, rebuilding team had been seeing more ups than downs recently as they made significant strides in their game and have been able to sign a few key parts of their prospect list.

But no growth happens in a straight line.

Kristian Roykas-Marthinsen scored only 11 seconds into today's game and the stumbles didn't stop there in a game where the Broncos just didn't seem to ever fully get on track.

"I thought we played really young, timid and soft," said Broncos Head Coach/Director of Hockey Operations Dean Brockman. "Guys were standing around everywhere. There's not any one particular area of the game that I liked. We're going to have those with a young group."



The Broncos did get it close on a couple of occasions. Billy Sowa's first career WHL goal closed the gap to 2-1, but the Blades struck back less than two minutes later. In the second period Joona Kiviniemi's power play goal got the Broncos within striking distance at 5-3, but Saskatoon added another goal 45 seconds later.

A bright spot for the Broncos is the hot offensive play of some of their young guys. Kiviniemi now has goals in four of his last five games. Matthew Culling scored for the fifth straight games and has goals in six of his last seven. The third member of that young line is Ben King who is riding a seven game point streak with nine assists over that stretch.

"For us we need those young guys to develop and keep scoring," Brockman noted.

Other young players have had good stretches include Alex Moar with points in four straight games, Connor Horning with five points in his last five games, Carter Chorney with points in 3 straight since the holiday break and 18-year-old Ethan Regnier putting up 9 points in 10 games as he has taken on a bigger role.

The game was the first blowout loss of rookie goaltender Isaac Poulter's young career. While it wasn't his best outing either, the Broncos have faith it will be nothing more than a moment to learn from.

"He's been fantastic all year," Brockman said. "To have a game like that is a learning lesson for him as well. He's such a character kid he'll bounce back and be just fine."

It was Poulter's first start since December 7th.

Kirby Dach was a difference maker for Saskatoon as he and Chase Wouters both had a goal and two assists in the win. Dach had been struggling with no points in his last seven games and only 1 in his last 11.

The Broncos went 1 for 2 on their power play and held Saskatoon to 0 for 4 on theirs. Swift Current's penalty kill has been successful on 12 of their 13 kills since the break.

Ethan O'Rourke missed today's game sick. Owen Blocker took his spot on the veteran line with Tanner Nagel and Ian Briscoe.

Swift Current's next action is on New Year's Day in Saskatoon for a 2pm puck drop. It's a chance for the Broncos to put up a better fight against a good Blades squad.

"They're a really good team and they do a lot of good things," Brockman said. "We've just got to be a lot better and compete a lot more. We've got to want the win more."

The Broncos paid tribute to Trent Kresse, Scott Kruger, Chris Mantyka, and Brent Ruff before the game. Today marks 32 years since the tragic bus crash that took their lives just outside of town on the way to a game in Regina.

"It's a brisk reminder of what this game is all about," Brockman said before the game. "We're playing for other people, coaching for other people... at the end of the day that's really close to my heart. I took some time this morning to think about it. I know exactly where I was on that day at that moment when it happened. We need to be reminded of them."