Scout
11-28-2008, 05:51 PM
The Southwest Booster
The Swift Current Broncos are gearing up for a difficult stretch as they prepare to play nine of their next 10 games on the road prior to the Christmas break. This weekend the Broncos will invade Alberta with a game in Calgary on Friday and a visit to Red Deer on Saturday.
The Broncos are coming off a successful weekend homestand where they captured three of a possible four points with a 4-1 win over the Regina Pats and a 3-2 shootout loss to the Spokane Chiefs to improve their record to 16-10-0-1.
Despite playing without a number of key contributors head coach Dean Chynoweth was excited about his team's play.
"I thought that the group really stuck with things on Friday night," said Chynoweth. "Obviously we lost the last game in their building probably worse then what the score indicated, so it was a bit of a game where we knew that we had to be at our best. I think that the biggest thing out of both games was that we didn't have any passengers. Everybody was pushed into action and responded pretty well and played towards the top of their game."
With nine road games in the next 19 days Chynoweth knows that his team faces their biggest challenge of the season.
"It is going to be challenging, hopefully we will have some bodies back by that time. Going into the Christmas break obviously our goal is to have 20-plus wins. Winning the one on the weekend and getting a point in the other was a step in the right direction but it is no easy task moving forward."
Saturday Drayson Bowman was the only player to score in the shootout as the Chiefs skated to a 3-2 win over the host Broncos.
The game was a goaltenders duel, with the teams held scoreless for 45:27 after they battled to a 2-2 first period tie.
For the second straight game the Broncos goaltending was the best aspect of the team's play. Goaltender Travis Yonkman moved to 6-2-0-1 on the year after stopping 35 of 37 shots, but he saved his best for overtime when he made four saves when the Broncos were forced to kill off a delay of game penalty to Spencer McAvoy. The Broncos played some of their best defensive zone play in the overtime penalty kill and the entire five minute extra session, with numerous blocked shots and second effort plays to deflect pucks.
Spokane netminder Dustin Tokarski stopped 39 of 41 shots to collect his 13th win of the season. He was also successful in turning aside Matt Tassone, Keegan Dansereau and Taylor Vause in the shootout.
Spokane had first period goals from Jared Cowen and Mitch Wahl, while Swift Current replied with goals from Tassone and Jan Dalecky.
Friday, in a battle of East Division rivals, the host Broncos got a pair of goals from Tassone to down the rival Pats 4-1.
Tassone, counted his ninth and 10th goals of the season, with both markers assisted by Dansereau.
Tassone, Dansereau, and Justin Dowling matched up all night with the Pats top duo of Jordan Eberle and Jordan Weal.
"We knew they were really good, gifted, and can score a lot of goals," said Tassone. "They are smaller guys so we knew we had to take the body on them. Those two are probably the biggest part of that team and we just had to shut them down tonight."
The Broncos also had goals from Geordie Wudrick and Brad Hoban.
Eberle scored the Pats lone goal.
Broncos netminder Mark Guggenberger stopped 28 shots to post his tenth win.
Pats goaltender Linden Rowat dropped just his second decision in regulation time, after stopping 24 of 28 shots.
Taylor Vause, 17, not only helped set up the Broncos first two goals, but was also a force up and down the ice for the Broncos. He said the Broncos came out with a much better effort after falling 5-1 in their only previous meeting with the Pats.
"We were focused and we came out hard to start and just took control of the game at the start and that was really important for us," said Vause.
Broncos fans also got a glimpse of the future in the form of 15-year-old defenseman Reece Scarlett who played his first WHL regular season game in the absence of regulars Derek Claffey, Ryan Molle, and Andrew Hewett.
"It was a great experience; this is a great hockey club and has a great back end. So I just have to learn from them and it was an awesome experience," said Scarlett.
Bronco Bits: The Broncos are hoping that veteran defensemen Derek Claffey and Ryan Molle will be able to return to the line-up this weekend. Chynoweth says next in line will likely be Jordan Hewett, while Cody Eakin and Jordan Peddle will remain out of the line-up. Overage blueliner Jesse Dudas has been skating and rehabbing in Edmonton with the Oilers but remains three weeks away from action meaning he likely will not rejoin the Broncos until after Christmas. The Broncos will host their annual Teddy Bear Toss on Dec. 5th against the Brandon Wheat Kings. Fans are encouraged to bring a new stuffed animal in a clear plastic bag to be tossed onto the ice after the Broncos first goal.
Scout
The Swift Current Broncos are gearing up for a difficult stretch as they prepare to play nine of their next 10 games on the road prior to the Christmas break. This weekend the Broncos will invade Alberta with a game in Calgary on Friday and a visit to Red Deer on Saturday.
The Broncos are coming off a successful weekend homestand where they captured three of a possible four points with a 4-1 win over the Regina Pats and a 3-2 shootout loss to the Spokane Chiefs to improve their record to 16-10-0-1.
Despite playing without a number of key contributors head coach Dean Chynoweth was excited about his team's play.
"I thought that the group really stuck with things on Friday night," said Chynoweth. "Obviously we lost the last game in their building probably worse then what the score indicated, so it was a bit of a game where we knew that we had to be at our best. I think that the biggest thing out of both games was that we didn't have any passengers. Everybody was pushed into action and responded pretty well and played towards the top of their game."
With nine road games in the next 19 days Chynoweth knows that his team faces their biggest challenge of the season.
"It is going to be challenging, hopefully we will have some bodies back by that time. Going into the Christmas break obviously our goal is to have 20-plus wins. Winning the one on the weekend and getting a point in the other was a step in the right direction but it is no easy task moving forward."
Saturday Drayson Bowman was the only player to score in the shootout as the Chiefs skated to a 3-2 win over the host Broncos.
The game was a goaltenders duel, with the teams held scoreless for 45:27 after they battled to a 2-2 first period tie.
For the second straight game the Broncos goaltending was the best aspect of the team's play. Goaltender Travis Yonkman moved to 6-2-0-1 on the year after stopping 35 of 37 shots, but he saved his best for overtime when he made four saves when the Broncos were forced to kill off a delay of game penalty to Spencer McAvoy. The Broncos played some of their best defensive zone play in the overtime penalty kill and the entire five minute extra session, with numerous blocked shots and second effort plays to deflect pucks.
Spokane netminder Dustin Tokarski stopped 39 of 41 shots to collect his 13th win of the season. He was also successful in turning aside Matt Tassone, Keegan Dansereau and Taylor Vause in the shootout.
Spokane had first period goals from Jared Cowen and Mitch Wahl, while Swift Current replied with goals from Tassone and Jan Dalecky.
Friday, in a battle of East Division rivals, the host Broncos got a pair of goals from Tassone to down the rival Pats 4-1.
Tassone, counted his ninth and 10th goals of the season, with both markers assisted by Dansereau.
Tassone, Dansereau, and Justin Dowling matched up all night with the Pats top duo of Jordan Eberle and Jordan Weal.
"We knew they were really good, gifted, and can score a lot of goals," said Tassone. "They are smaller guys so we knew we had to take the body on them. Those two are probably the biggest part of that team and we just had to shut them down tonight."
The Broncos also had goals from Geordie Wudrick and Brad Hoban.
Eberle scored the Pats lone goal.
Broncos netminder Mark Guggenberger stopped 28 shots to post his tenth win.
Pats goaltender Linden Rowat dropped just his second decision in regulation time, after stopping 24 of 28 shots.
Taylor Vause, 17, not only helped set up the Broncos first two goals, but was also a force up and down the ice for the Broncos. He said the Broncos came out with a much better effort after falling 5-1 in their only previous meeting with the Pats.
"We were focused and we came out hard to start and just took control of the game at the start and that was really important for us," said Vause.
Broncos fans also got a glimpse of the future in the form of 15-year-old defenseman Reece Scarlett who played his first WHL regular season game in the absence of regulars Derek Claffey, Ryan Molle, and Andrew Hewett.
"It was a great experience; this is a great hockey club and has a great back end. So I just have to learn from them and it was an awesome experience," said Scarlett.
Bronco Bits: The Broncos are hoping that veteran defensemen Derek Claffey and Ryan Molle will be able to return to the line-up this weekend. Chynoweth says next in line will likely be Jordan Hewett, while Cody Eakin and Jordan Peddle will remain out of the line-up. Overage blueliner Jesse Dudas has been skating and rehabbing in Edmonton with the Oilers but remains three weeks away from action meaning he likely will not rejoin the Broncos until after Christmas. The Broncos will host their annual Teddy Bear Toss on Dec. 5th against the Brandon Wheat Kings. Fans are encouraged to bring a new stuffed animal in a clear plastic bag to be tossed onto the ice after the Broncos first goal.
Scout