Broncos lose to Brandon

[Scout]

Keen's Korner

Saturday, September 08, 2007
Broncos Lose in Brandon
The Brandon Wheat Kings defeated the Broncos 4-3 in exhibition action tonight at the newly named Westman Communications Place in Brandon.

The Wheaties led 2-0 after one on a powerplay goal and a shorthanded marker. The Broncos tied it thanks to 2nd period goals from Spencer McAvoy and Geordie Wudrick. Brandon took the lead back with a pair of goals in the third. Cody Eakin scored his 2nd goal in as many nights to draw the Broncos within one with two minutes to play.

The Broncos couldn't find the tying goal and took the 4-3 loss. Ian Curtis played the entire game in goal and apparently played well. The Wheaties out shot the Broncos 24-21.

The Broncos were short defenseman tonight which forced Brady Leavold, Grant Toulmin, Phil Gervais, Matt Tassone, Kyle Bortis and Geordie Wudrick all to play a period on the back-end. With Paul Postma, Eric Doyle and Ryan Molle all attending NHL camps and Derek Claffey not dressed, the Broncos were forced to improvise.

The Broncos return home tonight and will have a full week of practice before taking on the Regina Pats Friday night in Kindersley.

[Scout]

Fraser's Phrases

Sunday, September 9, 2007
Wheats clip Broncs


The Swift Current Broncos had only three regular defencemen in the lineup last night with the rest either away at NHL camps or on the injury list.

It definitely showed in a 4-3 Western Hockey League pre-season loss to the Brandon Wheat Kings last night at Westman Place in front of 1,022 fans (it looked like much less).

Seven or eight forwards took turns playing on the back end for the Broncos, who trailed 2-0 after one and bounced back to even the score after two.

Daniel Bartek opened the scoring on the Wheat Kings fifth powerplay of the opening frame. Sanfred King added another a short time later with the Broncos finally on the man advantage.

Spencer McAvoy off a defenceman's skate cut the Brandon lead to one early in the second period before Geordie Wudrick scored a beauty past rookie netminder Deven Dubyk on a partial breakaway to even the score.

Jay Fehr added another shorthanded marker for the Wheat Kings early in the third period, firing a wrist shot stick-side on Broncos puckstopper Ian Curtis, while Bartek added his second midway through the period.

Cody Eakin made it 4-3 popping in a rebound on a 5-on-3 advantage for the Broncos, who were unable to bury the equalizer.

Brandon outshot Swifty 28-21, including 14-4 in an opening frame where the Broncos spent 12 minutes in the sin bin.

The refereeing in this contest left a lot to be desired, and I hope the evaluators in attendance noticed that. That being said, the Broncos were not very good. But I guess the fact that they lost by only one after a game like that is a positive to take.

I'm ready for the regular season to begin, but the Broncos need to get healthy first! They have a little time for that to happen now with their next and final pre-season tilt set for Friday in Kindersley against the Regina Pats.

Brandon heads to Prince Albert to face the Raiders tonight.