Broncos’ Mistelbacher scores 4 times to beat Tigers 4-1 Friday

By James Tubb on January 3, 2025.

Luke Mistelbacher hit the Medicine Hat Tigers with a four-spot Friday night.

The 19-year-old Swift Current Broncos forward scored all of the offence for his club as they beat the visiting Medicine Hat Tigers 4-1.

The Broncos made good on the previous matchup between the clubs, a 4-3 Medicine Hat win that saw the visiting Tabbies score twice for the third period come back on Dec. 4.

Medicine Hat came into the contest off a 5-2 win Monday over the Calgary Hitmen that capped off a five-point weekend for the club.

On Friday night at the InnovationPlex, neither team scored in the first period with Medicine Hat outshooting the Broncos 12-9.

The four-goal second period opened up with a pair of goals from the Broncos.

Mistelbacher scored his first goal on a breakaway, jumping off the bench on an expired Tigers’ power play for the 1-0 lead at 6:54. Former Tiger Carlin Dezainde had the lone assist.

Just under five minutes later, Mitselbacher struck again on a three-on-one breakaway, working a nifty move to put the puck past net minder Jordan Switzer to make it 2-0.

The Tigers responded later in the frame on a power play.

Bryce Pickford blasted a one-timer from the point that tickled twine in and out of the net so fast, play continued for a hot second.

Jonas Woo and Oasiz Wiesblatt had the assists on Pickford’s 16th of the season, he remains atop the WHL in defencemen goal scoring.

The Broncos regained a two-goal lead late in the frame.

On a power play, Mistelbacher fired a shot from the high slot that found the back of the net for his third of the night and a 3-1 lead. Clarke Caswell and Dezainde had the helpers on Mistelbacher’s third in the period.

Swift Current played shut-down hockey in the third period, holding the Tigers to just five shots en route to the win.

They capped the game off with an empty net goal from Mistelbacher for his fourth of the night and 27th of the season. Rylan Gould had the lone assist.

On the play, forward Hunter St. Martin was down on the ice after a hit, stumbling while making his way to the bench.

Reid Dyck made 28 saves in between the pipes for the Broncos. Accross the ice from him, Switzer stopped 19 shots.

The Tigers out-shot the Broncos 29-23 in the contest, with Swift Current winning the face off battle 32-72. Medicine Hat was 1-2 on the power play, Swift Current 1-3.

The Tigers (21-15-2) host the Broncos (19-16-0-1) on Saturday at Co-op Place for the second of a home-and-home series with the East division rival.

After that contest, the Tigers host the Prince Albert Raiders on Wednesday before a pari of weekend games against Central division opponents.