Throughout all the ups and downs of a hockey season teams will find games that galvanize them as a group.

The Swift Current Broncos went through that type of game as they battled back from several major obstacles and a 4-2 deficit to beat the Regina Pats 5-4 in overtime.

“It's one of those games when you're watching your team and every time one of those events happens guys are into it,” said Broncos associate coach Ryan Smith. “They're mad that it happened, they're mad at officials, (mad) at the other team and that just got us going. It kept us in the game and gave us something to strive for. There's not a lot of words that can describe it. It was really a good effort by us against a really good hockey team.”

Ryley Lindgren ripped down the right wing and beat Jordan Hollett in overtime to finish what was a gutsy effort by the overage forward.

It was a battle all night for the Broncos who were playing their third game in three days against a Pats team that had Saturday off. Swift Current was missing Glenn Gawdin to illness, Lane Pederson to suspension and coming off two tough road losses earlier in the weekend.

“It feels real good,” said Broncos goaltender Taz Burman who made 43 saves in the win. “These last couple games we've been struggling a little bit. Coming into today we just wanted to work our hardest, battle and do everything we could. We did that today and it showed so it feels great.”

Tyler Steenbergen scored twice for the Broncos including the tying goal with twelve seconds to go on a late power play. He's up to 45 goals on the season and tied with Tyler Wong for the WHL lead.

“We overpowered skill with hard work,” Steenbergen said. “We have to keep on doing that going forward.”

Swift Current had lost 7-0 in Regina on Friday and 5-2 in Moose Jaw on Saturday. Coming off a schedule like that against a Pats team that didn't play on Saturday the odds didn't appear to be in their favour.

“We just realized we had to play simple,” Burman said. “You saw guys blocking shot it felt like every shift. It was unreal the effort everyone gave today.”

The Broncos turned to their depth in the game with Conner Chaulk stepping up to the second line, Kole Gable centering the third line and guys like Tanner Mole, MacKenzie Wight and others having to eat some minutes against Regina's top players at times.

“It was really gritty,” Smith said. “With the guys missing from the lineup opportunity knocks for other guys to get some extra ice. After a couple tough ones to start the weekend we knew we were going to be up against it. We asked our guys just to work hard, play hard and be hard to play against. What a way to end the weekend. Outstanding efforts by pretty much everyone in blue.”

The game got off to a rough start for the Broncos who were quickly outshot 6-0 and down on an early Austin Wagner goal. They got a break when it appeared Adam Brooks had scored on a deflected shot to make it 2-0 and it was waived off because the net had come off before the puck went in.

Shortly after the disallowed goal it was Gable finishing a rebound from Arthur Miller's shot tying the game and giving the Broncos a boost of momentum.

“The turning point might have been the goal disallowed because the net was off,” Smith said. “That makes it 2-0 really early in the game and maybe gets us thinking, but that was a little break and we end up getting a tie out of the first... we hadn't had any shots until that point. (Gable and Miller) came in created a little space with the give-and-go and Gable came through getting the goal on the rebound.”

The teams traded goals before the end of a hard fought first period as Nick Henry scored for Regina and Steenbergen deflected in an Aleksi Heponiemi shot for the Broncos.

The second period was a different story entirely as the Broncos started with 1:32 of penalty to kill off and then were shorthanded four more times on top of that. One of those penalties was also a charging major to Sahvan Khaira that resulted in one of Swift Current's top four defencemen being ejected from the game.

Despite all the time on the PK the Broncos only gave up one power play goal to Sam Steel. Dawson Leedahl added another at even strength and the Pats appeared to be in control up 4-2 going into the third period.

“We did a great job on the penalty kill,” Burman said. “Things could have got a lot worse. We just battled through it.”

Heponiemi banged home the rebound of a deflected Chaulk shot early in the third period to give the Broncos some life and up the intensity for the remainder of a competitive third period.

Swift Current then lost their skilled Finn when Heponiemi was cut on the lip and missed the second half of the third period getting repaired.

Steel took a slashing penalty with a minute left to play and the Broncos were able to get Burman to the bench for a 6 on 4. Steenbergen took a pass and cut away from a Regina defender to rip one by Hollett and force the overtime with only twelve seconds left on the clock.

As the goal went in Heponiemi sprinted down the hallway from the dressing room and was back on the ice ready for overtime.

The Broncos have shown the ability to come from behind all throughout the season. Doing it against the top team in the league that had blown them out on Friday is a different story.

“We never want to quit against any team,” Steenbergen said. “Doing it against a team like this makes you feel even better. You don't want to get down in the third, but we know if we do we can come back from it.”

It was Swift Current's first win in six tries against Regina.

“It's real big those are the type of teams you have to beat in the playoffs,” Burman said. “We had guys out of the lineup and we were still able to come up with the win. That's a big step forward for our club.”

The Broncos were also without Brandan Arnold who has played the maximum number of games allowed for an affiliate player. He will now return to Nipawin in the SJHL where he will play on one of the favourites in the SJHL playoffs and can't return to the Broncos until the Hawks are eliminated.

“He did a wonderful job and he's a great kid,” said Broncos coach Manny Viveiros. “It was a tough decision (before the trade deadline) to send him down to Nipawin. At the time we were a healthy hockey club and we didn't want Arnold to sit around not playing when he had a chance to play a major role. We wish him all the best on their playoff run and if they're done before we are we will bring him back right away.”

Regina was also missing some key players from their lineup including defenceman Jonathan Smart and forward Filip Ahl.

The win moves Swift Current seven points up on Brandon for third place in the WHL East Division getting set for a clash between the Broncos and Wheat Kings on Tuesday at the Credit Union iPlex.