The Swift Current Broncos’ first playoff series win in nine years was a cause for celebration.
While the Broncos celebrated inside following their 3-2 Game 7 win over the Moose Jaw Warriors Monday, a truck full of Broncos fans did a lap around the arena blaring “We Are The Champions” out their open windows.
To say Swift Current is excited about their team after their first playoff series win since 2008 would be an understatement.
However, if the Broncos want to keep their championship dreams alive they’re going to have to knock off the best team in the Western Hockey League in the Eastern Conference semifinals. The Broncos open their best-of-seven series against the Regina Pats on Thursday night.
“We have a tremendous amount of respect for Regina, but having said that we’re still not scared of them. I think it’s going to be a really good series,” said Broncos head coach/general manager Emanuel Viveiros. “They come as advertised. There’s a reason why they’re the number one team in the country. We certainly have our work cut out for us here, but that’s why you play the games. We’re looking forward to it.
“There’s no question that we’re the underdogs and they’re the favourites. We know we’re going to have to be at our best to beat them… every time we play Regina, it’s good hockey. It’s two teams that like to skate and play fast hockey.”
The Pats did what they were expected to do in their opening round series: they swept the Calgary Hitmen in decisive fashion. The Pats scored five goals in each of their four wins and only allowed six goals over the course of the series. Their power play scored eight times and converted 57.1 per cent of their opportunities.
Lest anyone think that goalie Tyler Brown is their weak link, he posted a .947 save percentage and allowed 1.50 goals-per-game. His outstanding play included a 41-save performance in a back-breaking Game 3 victory.
Pats head coach/general manager John Paddock said his players were going to have to raise their level of play when they face Swift Current. He praised the team game that the Broncos are playing and his players are preparing for a battle.
“We know they’re going to come hard. They had a hard-fought series with Moose Jaw and we have to match their intensity and come ready to play,” said Pats defenceman Josh Mahura. “They’re really physical and they have speed. We’re going to have to find a way to get past that and play our way.”
The Broncos held the Warriors high-end players largely in check. Tyler Steenbergen scored six goals and Ryley Lindren had five goals. Broncos captain Glenn Gawdin scored three goals and was a plus-six while going head-to-head against the Warriors’ top line.
“For us we were worried about shutting them down, but also creating some offence. We were worried about our D zone and shutting those high end guys down. Everybody did a good job of that,” Gawdin said of their mindset against Moose Jaw. “We have to have that same mentality. We know that they bring a lot to the table and it’s just a matter of shutting them down.”
That will be easier said than done. Sam Steel had 10 points and Connor Hobbs had nine over the four games. Adam Brooks, Dawson Leedahl and Austin Wagner each netted three goals.
The Broncos will lean heavily on goalie Jordan Papirny who back-stopped Brandon to the WHL title a year ago.
“That’s why we went and got him,” Viveiros said. “He’s a champion and he’s won in this league before. He’s been the backbone of our hockey team since he got here. We don’t win this series without him.”
Five of the seven games in the Swift Current-Moose Jaw series were one-goal games and all of them saw the goalie pulled while the trailing team was only down a goal.
The Broncos were only mild underdogs against Moose Jaw in what was one of the most evenly-matched series of the first round. They lost seven of their eight meetings against Regina and many of those losses were not particularly close.
“I don’t think we’re going to think about those games too much,” said Pats sniper Sam Steel. “The playoffs are a new season and anything can happen.”
The Broncos, for their part, aren’t dwelling on the regular season either and are looking forward to the challenge.
“The pressure is on Regina and they’re considered heavy favourites going into it,” Papirny said.
“For us it’s going to be managing those little details: playing a full 60 minutes, blocking shots, working for those power plays and executing when we get those chances.”
Here are some key numbers from Regina and Swift Current’s season series:
| Swift Current | vs. | Regina |
| 1-7-0-0 | Record | 7-0-1-0 |
| 18 | Goals For | 43 |
| 43 | Goals Against | 18 |
| 219 | Shots For | 334 |
| 334 | Shots Against | 219 |
|
7 for 31 (22.6%) |
Power Play |
12 for 32 (37.5%) |
|
20 of 32 (62.5%) |
Penalty Kill |
24 of 31 (77.4%) |
| 3 | Fights | 3 |
NHL Drafted/Signed Players:
Regina: Sergey Zborovskiy (NYR ’15), Austin Wagner (LA ’15), Filip Ahl (OTT ’15), Connor Hobbs (WSH ’15), Sam Steel (ANA ’16), Josh Mahura (ANA’16), Adam Brooks (TOR ’16).
Swift Current: Glenn Gawdin (STL ’15), Max Lajoie (OTT ’16), Lane Pederson (ARI FA), Colby Sissons (NJ FA).
Keys to Win:
The Broncos penalty kill (72.7 per cent) was 21st out of 22 teams during the regular season. Against Moose Jaw, their kill (88.5 per cent) was the third best so far in the playoffs. Viveiros feels that Papirny has been a big part of that difference. The Pats, on the other hand, have had the best power play during the regular season and so far in the playoffs averaging two power-play goals per game against Calgary. If the Pats score two power-play goals a game against Swift Current this won’t be a long series. Beyond being strong on the kill, the Broncos need to be more disciplined and react to how the game is being called every night.
Sahvan Khaira played his best hockey as a Bronco in the first round. he, Max Lajoie, Colby Sissons and Artyom Minulin were superb on the Swift Current blue line and will need be just as good this time around. Obviously, Papirny will be crucial. Each time Moose Jaw scored more than two goals they beat the Broncos. It’s a lot to ask for the Broncos to try to limit the Pats to that extent, but they don’t want to be trading goals with them.
The keys for the Pats will be to try to use their transition game to get odd-man rushes against the Broncos and create some chances. The Broncos did an excellent job of clogging the neutral zone and getting in shooting and passing lanes in their own end. To that end, the Pats will need to win their share of puck battles, move pucks quickly and above all else, get traffic to the front of the Broncos’ net.
If the Pats can score as they have all season and their power play remains potent, they should have too much offence for the Broncos to keep pace.
Injuries:
Regina: C Jake Leschyshyn is out for the season after undergoing knee surgery.
Swift Current: 20-year-old LW Ryan Graham is also out for the post-season.
Pick:
Pats in five games.
