The Moose Jaw Warriors stole back home ice advantage from the Swift Current Broncos in another hotly contested game.

Thomas Foster scored twice and Zach Sawchenko made 39 saves as the Warriors held on for a 4-3 win in game there of what has been a very entertaining best of seven series. Moose Jaw now leads the series 2-1.

“It was a disappointing night for us for sure,” said Broncos associate coach Ryan Smith. “We started well and didn't finish so great. Tomorrow is a new day and we need to move on to that.”

The game came right down to the wire in a wild third period. The teams traded four goals in the final frame before Aleksi Heponiemi hit a post in the dying seconds as the Warriors secured the victory.

“It was a hard fought game,” said Broncos captain Glenn Gawdin. “I think we came out in the first period dominating and let away from our game in the second and they took it to us. Then a couple mistakes cost us in the third.”



Swift Current got off to a good start in front of a sold our crowd at the Credit Union iPlex. Colby Sissons scored 6:49 into the game on a shot from the left point that found a hole through traffic.

The Broncos built momentum as the first period went on finished strong heading into the dressing room.

The script then flipped as Brayden Burke scored 2:16 into the second period and the Warriors took over. Foster added a goal midway through the period off a point shot that went wide and banked right back to him for a 2-1 Moose Jaw lead.

“The play in the second went their way,” Smith said. “They pushed harder. We weren't able to take a little bit of pain to make plays. It was evident. We turned the puck over, they went to the net harder (and) it's all the stuff we've talked about with our guys.”

For Gawdin it was a matter of drifting from the game plan.

“Just our systems I think,” Gawdin said. “We got away from that and it showed. When we were on our game and playing our system we're all over them and taking away their space.”

The Broncos killed off a Warriors power play late in the period and built on that to a strong start in the third period. Heponiemi forced a turnover midway through the third and set Gawdin up for his second of the series as the home fans came to life in a tied game.

“We've got to use the crowd” Smith said. “We sure appreciate them coming out. A full house is always nice to play in front of. They were very supportive throughout the game. We want to see that again tomorrow night. We need them behind us it might be the extra energy we need.”

Warriors leading goal scorer Jayden Halbgewachs picked a great time to get his first of the series as a backhand in the slot deflected off a Swift Current stick and snuck by Jordan Papirny. Forster then added an empty net goal and the game looked over.

Swift Current kept pushing. With Brett Howden off for slashing, Ryley Lindgren converted another Heponiemi pass and the Broncos were back to within a goal with 28 seconds left to play. That''s when the flashy Finn hit a post and Swift Current ran out of time.

“We're just not giving up,” Gawdin said. “In the playoffs it takes down to the last couple of seconds to win the game.”

Papirny made 38 saves in another strong showing for Swift Current. Zach Sawchenko stopped 32 Swift Current shots to earn the win in Moose Jaw's goal.

The teams are right back at it in Swift Current on Wednesday night.

“We have to get a little bit more direct in our game,” Smith said. “We need to put more pressure on their goalie who was outstanding again tonight and we've got to be willing to pay the price. We're not quite getting to pucks in time, we're not quite ready to go through checks to make plays (and) we've got to grind our teeth a little more.”

Both teams have had really strong moments in a series that has seen major momentum shifts in both games and the series as a whole. Swift Current is looking for consistency.

“Just full sixty (minutes) playing our game,” Gawdin said. “Obviously there are momentum swings throughout the games, but we if we can limit that and just play our game as much as we can.”

Check scbroncos.com for tickets or contact the Stable during business hours. The Credit Union iPlex sold out for game three and tickets will be hard to get for game four as well.

You can listen live to The Eagle 94.1 FM for Robertson Family Group Swift Current Broncos Hockey at 6:30pm.