By Patrick Burles - @PatrickBurles on Twitter

Two goal night from Estephan puts Hurricanes on the brink of elimination

Apr 28, 2018 | 11:15 PM

SWIFT CURRENT – Coming off a Game 4 loss to Lethbridge on Wednesday, April 25, that saw the Hurricanes even the Eastern Conference Final at 2-2, former ‘Canes goaltender Stuart Skinner said his Swift Current Broncos were lucky to still be alive in the best-of-seven series – having been outplayed in all four games by his estimation.

Well, advance to Saturday, April 28, and it was another former Hurricanes star in Giorgio Estephan who put the Broncos back ahead in the best-of-seven series, as they took Game 5 by a 4-3 score.

After being outshot and down 1-0 through the better part of two periods, Lethbridge forward Zane Franklin scored with 1:15 left to play in the second to tie things up. Estephan restored the lead just 27 seconds later though while on the power play, firing a wrist shot by Logan Flodell after being left all alone in the slot.

The third period would open with the Broncos extending their lead to 3-1 under three minutes in, but Brad Morrison pulled the Hurricanes back to within one just over a minute later, jumping on a loose puck off a scrambled faceoff and shooting it by Skinner. It was Morrison’s 16th goal and 37th point of this post-season run, putting him in first place in both categories in the WHL playoffs.

The eventual game winner came within minutes, as former Swift Current forward Logan Barlage turned the puck over in the defensive zone to Tyler Steenbergen, who promptly fired it to a wide open Estephan at the side of the Lethbridge net and he buried to make it 4-2.

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Egor Zudilov would score another for the Hurricanes during a man-advantage with 1:01 to play, but that was as close as they would come in their comeback bid.

The loss means the Hurricanes are now down 3-2 in the series and facing potential elimination for the first time in these playoffs, after dispatching Red Deer and Brandon in five games each.

If they want to keep their season going, the ‘Canes will need to find a way to shut down their former captain, as Estephan now has six goals in the five games they’ve played. That’s after he scored just four times through the first 14 games of the Broncos’ playoff push.

Fortunately for Lethbridge, they return home for Game 6 on Monday, where they are a perfect 8-0 this post-season. If they can even things up again, then Game 7 will go Tuesday night, back in Swift Current.