Former Swift Current Minor Hockey product Tanner Nagel scored twice as the Lethbridge Hurricanes rode a strong first two periods to a 6-3 win over the Swift Current Broncos in pre-season action.

Alexi Heponiemi and Logan Barlage each had a goal and an assist as the Broncos showed flashes in the third period on the power play.

“Pretty disappointed with the first and second,” said Broncos associate coach Ryan Smith. “Third we showed some push back but you've got to play sixty minutes.”

The Broncos got in trouble early in both the first and second periods. Nagel struck first a minute into the game after Swift Current got hemmed in their own zone. The same thing happened early in the second period and Brendan Stafford made it 3-1 Lethbridge at that point.

“Guys aren't playing hard enough,” Smith said. “It's a hard league. You can't let teams and players off the hook. They will make you pay. Hopefully our guys learned that lesson tonight.”

For players making the jump to the WHL or looking for a bigger role the Broncos are going to need faster decision making.


“From our thought process to putting the play into the body is lacking right now,” Smith said. “We see what we want to do but it's not happening quick enough. This is a top notch league and quick league so it's gotta be done quicker.”

It's a tough balance for players trying to find a spot on a roster between trying to do too much or playing an overly passive game to try avoiding making mistakes.

“I think there was a bit of both,” Smith said. “I think there was sometimes guys trying something that wasn't there trying to make a special play. There was guys not doing enough. You're trying to make a team and there's lots of decisions to be made. You want to help yourself. There's some guys here that need to show a lot more. We don't have room for 30 guys. There's one more exhibition game and still some practices to see where some guys are at individually to see if they can stay with us and play with us.”

The Broncos had some life late in the first period as Owen Blocker put home the rebound of a Dom Schmiemann point shot to cut an early Lethbridge lead to 2-1. The Hurricanes then took over the second period scoring twice and outshooting Swift Current by a 16-4 margin.

An early third period power play gave the Broncos some life when Barlage made a nice play close to the net to set up a Heponiemi one-timer. The two later combined again on a Barlage power play goal as the man advantage moved the puck around well going 2 for 7 on the night.

It was Heponiemi's first game of the pre-season as he picked up where he left off.

“He was the most skilled player on the ice by far,” Smith said. “Everything revolved around him. Other guys did well to get into open spots and get him the puck. There's no secret that power play revolved around 20 and he did a great job.”

The Broncos pulled their goalie for an extra attacker in the last three minutes and had some great chances including Heponiemi hitting the post on a one-timer and Riley Stotts just missing on the rebound.

Taz Burman made 33 saves on 39 Lethbridge shots. Adam Swan stopped 21 of 24 Broncos shots in the victory.

The two teams meet again on Sunday at Fairview West Arena in Swift Current's final pre-season game.

“Build off the third period,” Smith said. “If we can play like we did the last 6-7 minutes we'll be ok. Guys need to step up. They've got to show they want to stay and play. It's the last chance for some guys.”

The Broncos ran a very young lineup with seven veterans away at NHL camps. They also didn't dress overage forwards Conner Chaulk and Brandon Arnold.

Broncos Captain Glenn Gawdin had an assist today for the Calgary Flames today as his club fell 4-2 to Edmonton in an NHL Young Stars tournament in Penticton. Sahvan Khaira is on Edmonton's roster but didn't dress. Several other Broncos are also participating in prospect games this weekend.

You can hear Sunday's game live on The Eagle 94.1 FM with Robertson Family Group Broncos Hockey at 6:30pm.