By Patrick Burles - @PatrickBurles on Twitter

Former ‘Canes play key role in helping Broncos take 1-0 series lead

Apr 20, 2018 | 10:27 PM

SWIFT CURRENT – For the first time in these WHL playoffs, the Lethbridge Hurricanes are trailing in a series.

And what a series it’s shaping up to be.

Game one of the Eastern Conference Final went to the Swift Current Broncos – the WHL’s second-best team in the regular season – as they narrowly edged the Hurricanes 3-2 Friday night, April 20.

With the obvious storyline and pressure associated with the blockbuster trade that saw Lethbridge send captain Giorgio Estephan, Stuart Skinner and Tanner Nagel to Swift Current for Logan Barlage, Logan Flodell, Matthew Stanley and Owen Block on Jan. 9, several of the players who swapped sides left their mark on the game sheet.

Skinner was the most notable for the Broncos, turning aside 18 Hurricane shots in a scoreless first period. Then, after Max Patterson put the home side on the board six minutes into the second, Estephan extended the lead to 2-0 while on the power play, beating Flodell after being left all alone in close.

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Six minutes into the third, it was another traded player doing the damage, this time for the Hurricanes. As Taylor Ross had the puck poke-checked off his stick in the Broncos’ zone, defenceman Matthew Stanley jumped on the loose puck, driving a shot by Skinner to make it 2-1. Four minutes later, a Calen Addison wrist shot from the point while on the man advantage eluded Skinner, evening the score with 10 minutes to play.

The tie didn’t last long though, as just over a minute later, Aleksi Heponiemi restored the Broncos lead, firing through a screen to beat Flodell for what stood to be the game winner. Skinner would take care of the rest, slamming the door with 16 of his 39 saves in the third to preserve the win.

The two teams will square off in game two Saturday night in Swift Current, before moving to Lethbridge for games three and four on Tuesday and Wednesday.