It was almost as if both teams weren't ready to let the game end.

On a long night in Kent, Washington the Swift Current Broncos and Seattle Thunderbirds went to eight rounds of a shootout before Turner Ottenbreit won the game for the home team.

It was a game that included a pre-game choir performance, the clean up for a teddy bear toss goal, a big third period comeback and a long stretch of extra time.

Tyler Steenbergen had a goal and four assists as the Broncos erased a 6-3 deficit in the third period to force overtime and salvage a point against the defending WHL Champions.

“Exciting finish for sure,” said Broncos Associate Coach Ryan Smith. “We were disappointed in our start and real proud of our end. Getting a point was important after falling behind, but maybe a game if we would have played the right way earlier we would have had too points.”

The teams traded goals in the first period as Glenn Gawdin converted a breakaway pass from Steenbergen for his team leading 37th of the season, Seattle pulled ahead 2-1 and Colby Sissons finished the period tying the game back up at 2 with his 11th on a huge slap shot.

The game turned in the second period with the Thunderbirds striking less than a minute in on a Donovan Neuls goal. Seattle was already on their third power play of the night and would have five before the Broncos had one.

The Thunderbirds blew the game open in the second period with four goals. Swift Current did answer with a Giorgio Estephan power play goal, but were in a massive hole heading into the third.

“We were a little timid,” Smith said. “We looked like we were playing on the end of our sticks. We knew they were an aggressive, fast team and maybe we built them up to be that much. They were very good they didn't give us any room to move out there. They pounded us. They put pucks deep behind our D and took advantage of all the breakdowns and power plays.”

That all changed in the third as the Broncos turned up their intensity and chipped away at Seattle's lead. Goals from Steenbergen, Estephan and Beck Malenstyn tied the game up as Swift Current outshot Seattle 17-5.

“I think we just played,” Smith said. “We said we've got twenty minutes lets just play. We switched the lines a little bit, but I think it was more us deciding to play with pride. I think we were a little embarrassed after being down that much.”

Nothing was decided in overtime and the teams went deep into the shootout. Swift Current twice extended the game on shootout goals by Steenbergen and Artyom Minulin, but were unable to take advantage of a few opportunities to win it. The loss was their first in a shootout this season and ended a six game winning streak.

Joel Hofer stopped 31 of 37 Thunderbirds shots in a losing cause for Swift Current, while Dorrin Luding made 26 saves for Seattle.

Gawdin, Estephan and Heponiemi all had three point nights in the game for Swift Current. Heponiemi extended his point streak to 27 games and how has had three points per game in his last four games.

The 33-10-3-1 Broncos play the third game in three days and fourth in five days in Everett on Sunday. The grind isn't something they're dwelling on.

“It's not uncommon to do three-in-three,” Smith said. “We know it's a tough team and they've been playing really well. It's a good test. This was always going to be a hard trip. I think we can build a little bit when we realize we did come back in the third... you've got to build on that.”

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