By Matthew Gourlie
The Moose Jaw Warriors and Swift Current Broncos have the two best records and the two most potent offences in the WHL’s Eastern Conference.
Their meeting Friday surpassed even the loftiest expectations.
Tyler Steenbergen scored 2:13 into overtime to give the Broncos a 7-6 win at Mosaic Place.
“It was way too wide open and we made some uncharacteristic mistakes that cost us goals, but from a the fans point of view, they got their money’s worth,” said Broncos GM/head coach Emanuel Viveiros.
The Warriors had rallied to score three straight goals in the third period before Steenbergen struck with 2:16 left to force overtime.
“We have to take some of the mental errors out of our game,” said Warriors winger Tanner Jeannot. “We have to play hard for the full 60 minutes, back-checking hard right back to home plate and also forechecking and driving the engine.
“That’s what we’re working towards. (In the third period) we working hard and moving our feet. Hopefully we can play like that for a full 60 for the rest of the season.”
The Warriors may have lost more than a point. Moose Jaw’s leading scorer Brayden Burke left his leg out on a knee-on-knee hit with Broncos defenceman Colby Sissons. No penalty was called and it was Burke who was the worse for wear. He crawled to the bench in obvious discomfort and headed to the locker room and didn’t return.
The Warriors were without captain Brett Howden, who is day-to-day with an upper body injury that does not appear to be related to the injury that kept him out of the lineup for six games.
Justin Almeida left the game in the second period, but returned in the third for Moose Jaw.
The Warriors were also without defenceman Jett Woo for the eighth straight game.
“That’s hockey. Things happen and you have to be ready to roll with the punches. Whoever you are playing with you have to work hard and know your job,” Jeannot said.
The Warriors (20-5-1-1) got off to a fast start on teddy bear toss night. Tristin Langan wired a shot home 2:40 into the game and they kept the momentum going after the delay as Branden Klatt doubled the lead at 5:48 which prompted Viveiros to call an early time out.
“We had a good start, but we have to keep that going,” Langan said. “Everyone is pretty mad right now. We just have to be better in our D end.”
Matteo Gennaro made his Broncos (19-5-2-0) debut and took advantage of a bad hop at the Warriors blue line to snipe his first goal in green and blue. That goal spurred an early Swift Current comeback as they took a 3-2 lead into the first intermission.
“He’s a high-end centre in this league and he’s a guy who can score. The addition of (Gennaro) and Beck Malenstyn are just going to make us deeper all of the way through. Depth is so important. You look at Moose Jaw and how strong they are, they have depth all the way through their lineup and we’re just trying to keep up with them right now,” said Viveiros who noted that Malenstyn — the other forward acquired from Calgary in the seven-player deal — was eyeing a return just before the Christmas break.
The Broncos’ big line did the bulk of the damage as they overcame their slow start. Glenn Gawdin’s second of the game came 15 seconds into the third period as Steenbergen gave him a great pass on the power play.
That extended the Broncos’ lead to 5-3, but the Warriors responded with a Jeannot goal on the next shift.
Burke tied the game and Langan’s second of the night gave the Warriors a 6-5 lead.
Gawdin finished with four points, while Aleksi Heponiemi had a goal and two assists and Steenbergen also had three points.
Broncos defenceman Connor Horning scored his first WHL goal.
Tate Popple had a goal and an assist as the Warriors got strong secondary scoring.
The teams will meet against Saturday at the Credit Union iPlex in Swift Current.
