SWIFT CURRENT -- The Swift Current Broncos knew they were in for a tall order if they were to find a way to get past the Medicine Hat Tigers in the first round of the Western Hockey League playoffs, and in the end, it was too tough of a nut to crack.
The Broncos turned in a spirited effort in Game 5 of the best-of-seven Eastern Conference quarter-final series in Medicine Hat on Friday night but would drop a 3-2 decision and as a result fall four-game-to-one and see their season come to an end.
With the way things started out in Game 5, it would have been easy for Swift Current to just accept their fate. Medicine Hat’s Markus Ruck scored the only goal of the first period at the 10:15 mark and Shaeffer Gordon-Carroll made it a 2-0 game at 6:57 of the second frame.
The Broncos would storm back in quick fashion midway through the second, though, beginning when Connor Dale scored shorthanded at 10:07. Hunter Mayo then tied the game with a power play goal only 2:44 later, and it looked as if Swift Current might be able to find a way to extend the series.
Unfortunately for the Broncos, Medicine Hat had a quick answer -- Ryder Ritchie scored his fourth of the series 53 seconds after Mayo’s goal, and it would stand as the game and series winner.
The Tigers’ Gavin McKenna picked up two more assists in the game and finished with an absurd two goals and 16 points across the five game series.
Harrison Meneghin stopped 25 shots to earn the win in net, and Reid Dyck turned aside 36 shots in his final game with Swift Current.
