The Swift Current Broncos earned a hard-fought 2-1 win over the Saskatoon Blades Friday to snap a two-game losing streak.
Graham Black’s third-period goal was the difference in a game that was tied 1-1 most of the way.
Black received a pass in the slot from Ryon Moser and outwaited Andrey Makarov to slide the puck in for the game winner.
Lukas Sutter made it 1-0 Saskatoon when he scored 4:25 into regulation. But former Blade Levi Bews tied it only 27 seconds later with his fifth goal of the season.
Eetu Laurikainen picked up the win with 43 saves to improve to 5-2-2-1 with an outstanding evening in goal. Makarov fell to 5-7-0-0 in the loss.
Swift Current improved to 5-3-3-1 as they snapped the Blades’ three game winning streak as Saskatoon dropped to 5-8-0-0. The Broncos are now 2-0-1-0 against Saskatoon this season.
The game featured Graeme Craig and Brent Benson facing their former teams one day after being swapped for one another.
Craig, 19, suited up against the Broncos after appearing in 200 regular season games for the team that drafted him in the 2008 WHL Bantam Draft.
“It was a lot different,” said the 6’5’’ defenseman. “Right off in warm-ups and looking at the colours I used to be in was a little different and the guys and whatever. We played a pretty strong road game I think. We just had too many turnovers and our puck plays weren’t the smartest. But we had some good push in the third. We were right there in the third and we could have had one. Eddy made some good saves for Swifty there but we will just regroup and come back hard tomorrow.”
The Broncos will be back at home Saturday for their third home game in four days when they host the Tri-City Americans.
