Not all of the Swift Current Broncos skated Monday morning in advance of Monday night’s huge contest against the Ontario Hockey League-champion Hamilton Bulldogs.
Canadian World Junior “Golden Goal” scorer Tyler Steenbergen wasn’t among those members of the W-H-L champs that did skate at the Brandt Centre. Steenbergen left Saturday’s overtime loss to Acadie-Bathurst with an undisclosed injury. Swift Current head coach Manny Viveiros said the 19-year-old sniper would be a game-time decision. Viveiros also acknowledged that tonight’s meeting of opening-game losers was a “Must Win”.
“You’ve got to win sometime in order to be in this tournament,” explained the charismatic Broncos’ bench boss. “We’re looking to win Monday…so are (the Bulldogs). You get that second game in and you have two teams that are very urgent, very desperate.”
Monday’s winner is guaranteed no worse than a tie-breaker game while the loser is in danger of only playing three games. The Quebec Major Junior League-champion Acadie-Bathurst Titan are 2-0 and assured of a spot in Friday’s semi-final game after out-scoring host Regina 8-6 Sunday. The Pats are 1-1 and guaranteed no worse than a tie-breaker contest.