Nolan Footesa¹ú¼Ê´«Ã½ goal 55 seconds into overtime salvaged a 3-2 win for the sa¹ú¼Ê´«Ã½ Rockets over the Swift Current Broncos on Wednesday night at Prospera Place.
It was Footesa¹ú¼Ê´«Ã½ second of the night, and it was a merciful ending for a game that lacked flow and excitement against a struggling Broncos team amid a difficult sa¹ú¼Ê´«Ã½ road trip.
Foote also had an assist. Pavel Novak also scored once and had an assist.
Kaedan Korczak had two helpers in a win that returns sa¹ú¼Ê´«Ã½ to the top of the WHLsa¹ú¼Ê´«Ã½ sa¹ú¼Ê´«Ã½ Division standings, a point ahead of the Kamloops Blazers and Vancouver Giants.
Cole Schwebius, making his second start of the season, faced 24 shots and kept his team in the game.
Brecon Wood and Ben King scored for the Broncos while goalie Isaac Poulter made 34 saves.
King, from Vernon, opened the scoring eight minutes into the first period on a deflection from the point that fooled Schwebius.
From right along the boards at the Rockets’ blue line, Kasper Puutio lifted a high wrist shot that King deflected down and past Schwebius.
sa¹ú¼Ê´«Ã½ wasn’t without its chances in the first (they outshot the Broncos 11-7), but a couple of minor penalties slowed their progress.
sa¹ú¼Ê´«Ã½ also seemed overly anxious, opting to force quick passes rather than hold the puck and pick their spots. The Broncos were content to crowd the front of the net and counterattack, especially considering they lost 4-0 on Tuesday in Kamloops.
The Rockets sustained pressure for the longest period after a hard Mark Liwiski check ignited a fight with two minutes to play in the first.
Liwiski pasted sa¹ú¼Ê´«Ã½ native Connor Horning into the boards in front of the Rockets’ bench. Horning appeared to be slipping as the Rockets forward came through.
Swiftsa¹ú¼Ê´«Ã½ Carter Chorney jumped to his fallen teammatesa¹ú¼Ê´«Ã½ defence, but was given the extra two minutes for unsportsmanlike conduct.
But any momentum the Rockets may have had to end the first vanished after the intermission. Schwebius had to be sharp in turning away at least three point-blank chances as the Rockets struggled to maintain possession in the Bronco end.
It was up to Foote to force the issue.
He tied the game nine minutes into the second on — what was typical of the contest — a broken, scrambling play.
With three Broncos and the goaltender sprawling in front, Foote picked up his own rebound and shovelled it over the pile of bodies.
It was welcome relief for a game that appeared headed in the wrong direction.
Footesa¹ú¼Ê´«Ã½ goal was especially important considering the Broncos’ Ethan Regnier took a tripping penalty a minute later.
It allowed the sa¹ú¼Ê´«Ã½ power play — which has lethal capabilities, and went 1-for-4 Wednesday — to get working. It didn’t take long, either.
Novak looped from the Bronco blue line into the right faceoff circle. He was unchecked all the way to the faceoff dot when he unleashed a laser-guided missile into the top corner, off the post, for a 2-1 lead after two periods.
sa¹ú¼Ê´«Ã½ appeared to have control to start the third, but it was Wood who tied it against the run of play. The Rockets peppered Poulter repeatedly through five minutes only to watch Wood tie it. He picked up a bouncing puck along the left-wing boards, barged at Schwebius and snapped a high shot home.
Schwebius may have been a bit deep in his net, about the only mistake he made all night.
Even though there was still 15 minutes to play, Swift Current appeared content for overtime. They collapsed in front of Poulter and tried to lull the Rockets and their 4,749 fans to sleep.
Foote put the Broncos down just over a minute into overtime. He found space along the left wing, circled off the boards and ripped a wrist shot over Poultersa¹ú¼Ê´«Ã½ glove.
AFTERBURNERS -- Speedy Creek came into the game winless in its last 10 games in sa¹ú¼Ê´«Ã½ dating back to last season … The Broncos shifted to the Central Division from the East this season after the Kootenay Ice moved to Winnipeg. Swift is the only Saskatchewan team in the Alberta division. … The three stars were Foote, Novak and Poulter.
