If you’re Dean Brockman, Isaac Poulter and the Swift Current Broncos, you can only shake your head and wonder what you have to do to beat the Saskatoon Blades!

Coming off a heady 5-2 decision over the Prince Albert Raiders Monday for their first victory of the W-H-L’s East Division “Dubble”…and their first win since January, 2020…Speedy Creek looked like they were going to knock the Bridge City Bunch off their early-“Dubble” pedestal. The Broncos were up 5-3 with three-and-a-half minutes remaining in the third period, back-stopped by Poulter and timely, opportunistic scoring.

Then the roof caved in on Swift Current.

Blake Stevenson roofed a sharp-angled shot over Poulter with 3:29 left to cut the lead to 5-4. Then, with goaltender Nolan Maier on the bench for an extra attacker, Aidan De La Gorgendiere’s seeing-eye point shot forced overtime with 42 seconds remaining in regulation time. And, just 29 seconds into the extra frame, Tristen Robins (pictured) got free, went in and deked to the forehand before tucking the puck between Poulter’s out-stretched left pad and the post and into the net, giving the Blue and Gold a heart-stopping 6-5 triumph.

The comeback decision means the 2021 edition of the Blades has equaled a franchise-best record through the first seven games of a season. The 6-0-1 mark is the same that the 1985-86 Saskatoon squad bolted out of the gate with through seven games. In addition, it was the eighth straight head-to-head win for the Bridge City Bunch over the Broncos…the last Speedy Creek victory over the Blue and Gold being in January, 2019. And, Isaac Poulter is winless in eight career goaltending decisions against Saskatoon, despite stopping 35 of 41 shots Wednesday.

Also scoring for the Blades Wednesday were Chase Wouters…just 14 seconds into the game…Caiden Daley and a second goal from Robins, which was on a power play. Kyle Crnkovic added four assists as six Bridge City Bunch players posted multi-point games. Josh Davies scored twice on his 17th birthday to pace the 1-5-1 Broncos.

Now for the next piece of intrigue and history for the Blue and Gold. Since the 1985-86 Blades lost their eighth games, 6-2 to the Prince Albert Raiders, dropping their record to 6-1-1…the 2021 Saskatoon squad can claim the best-ever eight-game start to a season in franchise history…if they can defeat the Regina Pats Friday and improve to 7-0-1. Game time Friday is 4 p.m. Following is the game summary from the W-H-L…

Swift Current Broncos 5 at Saskatoon Blades 6 (OT) – Status: Final OT
Wednesday, March 24, 2021 – Brandt Centre – Regina, SK

Swift Current 3 1 1 0 – 5
Saskatoon 2 1 2 1 – 6

1st Period-1, Saskatoon, Wouters 2 (Daley, Lisowsky), 0:14. 2, Swift Current, Williams 1 (Raphael Pelletier, McGinley), 1:08. 3, Saskatoon, Daley 3 (Rhinehart, Lisowsky), 6:11. 4, Swift Current, Farren 4 (Stebbings, Ward), 7:46. 5, Swift Current, Davies 2 15:47. Penalties-Ward Sc (cross checking), 13:58; Rhinehart Sas (slashing), 13:58.

2nd Period-6, Saskatoon, Robins 4 (Wyatt McLeod, Crnkovic), 4:37 (PP). 7, Swift Current, Davies 3 (Wyrostok, Williams), 9:02 (PP). Penalties-Nagy Sc (tripping), 4:28; Rhinehart Sas (kneeing), 8:38; McGinley Sc (hooking), 11:55.

3rd Period-8, Swift Current, Filmon 1 (Stebbings), 12:01. 9, Saskatoon, Stevenson 4 (Patrician, Crnkovic), 16:31. 10, Saskatoon, De La Gorgendiere 2 (Crnkovic, Wouters), 19:17. Penalties-Crnkovic Sas (tripping), 7:57.

OT Period-11, Saskatoon, Robins 5 (Crnkovic, De La Gorgendiere), 0:29. Penalties-No Penalties

Shots on Goal-Swift Current 6-8-6-0-20. Saskatoon 17-12-11-1-41.
Power Play Opportunities-Swift Current 1 / 2; Saskatoon 1 / 2.
Goalies-Swift Current, Poulter 0-4-1-0 (41 shots-35 saves). Saskatoon, Maier 5-0-0-0 (20 shots-15 saves).
A-
Referees-Mike Langin (67).
Linesmen-Ty Skene, Logan Tisdale.