BRONCOS TIE UP WHL FINAL
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| WHL.ca |
Swift Current, SK: What a night at the Innovation Credit Union i-Plex! The Swift Current Broncos never gave up and put on a show for the ages as they erased a three-goal deficit to complete the comeback vs. the Everett Silvertips and win in overtime by a score of 4-3 to tie the Rogers WHL Championship Series up at 1-1.
Silvertips captain Matt Fonteyne went upstairs to open the scoring 3:14 into Game Two. The 20-year-old forward collected his seventh of the postseason and his shot came from the left faceoff circle.
Everett made it 2-0 when Martin Fasko-Rudas scored via a fludder shot that Broncos goaltender Stuart Skinner got a part of but not enough as the puck just crossed the line.
Silvertips forward Garrett Pilon then made a good cross-ice pass towards the Broncos crease where Riley Sutter streaked towards the goal and knocked it home to increase the Everett margin to 3-0.
The Broncos were outshot 16-10 through 20 minutes but got one back midway through the middle frame as Matteo Gennaro fought to get his ninth of the postseason. The 21-year-old Gennaro smacked home a loose puck from the crease area while Aleksi Heponiemi and Kaden Elder tallied helpers on the play.
New Jersey Devils prospect Colby Sissons unleashed a slap shot by Silvertips netminder Carter Hart to inch the Broncos closer 3-2 at the 6:22 mark of third period.
The Broncos continued to hang around and just kept pushing as Skinner made an incredible glove save to rob Riley Sutter and keep the game close.
With the net empty in the final two minutes of play, the Broncos offence was buzzing and they got awarded for the tying goal as Tyler Steenbergen buried his 12th of the postseason. The Arizona Coyotes prospect snapped one in by Hart after receiving a terrific pass from Gennaro who was positioned behind the Silvertips cage.
Overtime was needed and Giorgio Estephan played the hero role as he banged in a rebound opportunity halfway through the extra frame to sign, seal, and deliver Swift Current an epic 4-3 Game Two victory.
Skinner was spectacular in this contest, turning aside 40 shots in the win while Hart picked up 34 stops in a losing cause.
Shots on goal were 43-38 in favour of Everett. The Silvertips power play went 0/3 while the Broncos went 0/2 on the man advantage.
The 2018 Rogers WHL Championship Series shifts south of the border as the Broncos head to the Angel of the Winds Arena to clash against the Everett Silvertips for Game Three on Tuesday, May 8th. Puck drop is scheduled for 8:05pm (7:05pm PT).
(Brad Trojan/SCBroncos.com)
