A tough start prevented a chance at a comeback for the Diamond Energy Female Midget AAA Wildcats on the road last night.

The Wildcats gave up a pair of goals midway through the first period against the Regina Rebels, ultimately falling 4-2 in Game 3 of their league semi-final series.

Emma DeCorby scored on the powerplay with 11:59 remaining in the first, with Kaylee Dyer giving the Rebels a 2-0 lead 1:46 after that.

Swift Current did seem to settle down and pile together more of a charge in the second period.

Kamryn Johnson fired a point shot five-hole on a screened Chantel Weller in the Regina net to make it 2-1 for the Rebels. The goal came 1:02 into play in the middle frame.

However, Regina bounced right back - they restored the two-goal lead 2:45 later on a chip-in goal from Lauren Focht.

The Rebels then struck on a quick point-shot goal off a draw win, courtesy of Jordan Fry, to make it a somewhat daunting 4-1 deficit for the Wildcats with 14:48 left on the clock in the second.

On one of five powerplays in the period, and one of two five-on-threes in the game, Sara Kendall posted up back door to get a Kate Wagner-deflected feed from Taylor Lind, burying it past Weller to make it 4-2 with 4:10 left in the second.

The final 24 minutes went scoreless, with a final shot total favouring Swift Current for the first time this series. The Wildcats out-shot Regina 29-23.

"I thought over the last 40 minutes, we were okay, but, you spot a team two goals in the first period due to lack of effort, it made it really hard," said Wildcats head coach Terry Pavely. "We kind of got ourselves back in it, but when you're down 2-0, you can't make a mistake after that point against good teams. Unfortunately the first period was our downfall."

Again, the Wildcats were left scratching their heads on the man-advantage, going 1-for-8 on the powerplay. Swift Current has now been held to a 2-for-18 effort in that department this series.

It was also the third-straight game to open the best-of-five series that has seem the home team earn the W.

With a quick turnaround, and in a do-or-die scenario, the Wildcats will hope to make that ring true in Game 4 Wednesday night.

"I just hope that we find a way for everybody to work hard tomorrow for 60 minutes," said Pavely, who expects his team to come out flying. "If they do, we've said we're very confident. But, if we bring (today's) effort, it'll be an easy result for them - we'll probably be going home after that."

Looking to come out on top in Game 4, and force a fifth-and-final fight in the league semi-final, the Wildcats host the Rebels tonight at 7:15 p.m. from the usual home base of Fairview West.