A dry spell on offence has slowed the Swift Current Broncos this week with losses of 2-0 to Kootenay on Tuesday and 3-1 hosting the Medicine Hat Tigers tonight.

James Hamblin and Carson Hopwo each scored and had assists as the Tigers won the first half of a home-and-home series this weekend.

Riley Lamb made 43 saves for the Broncos to keep it close and Ethan O'Rourke scored their lone goal.

"I thought we played with pretty good pace tonight," said Broncos assistant coach Scott Dutertre. "I think the play went back and forth. Medicine Hat is a fast club and I thought for the most part we matched that... there was a couple times we had lapses where we were maybe worried about making mistakes. We tried to settle them down and said don't be afraid of making mistakes we just want effort."



Despite the result it was a step up for a lackluster game on Tuesday against Kootenay.

"I think we had a good bounce-back game," said new Broncos forward Tyler Smithies. "I think we out-chanced them, they just got a few tips and they got ahead of us."

The Broncos were on their heels early, but had some really good pressure in the later stages of the first period. Smithies ended up with an assist tonight and has two in four games with the Broncos.

"I think we started using our speed better than the last game," Smithies said. "They gave us quite a bit of room down low and we took advantage of that."



Medicine Hat broke through in the second period on a series of unfortunate events led to a shorthanded against the Broncos. A fanned shot, failed pinch and a two on one the Tigers almost didn't convert until Hamblin deflected it in off a rebound after a blocked pass bounced right back to the original passer.

Medicine Hat then quickly added another one on Howa's deflection.

"We've talked about the importance of that and how we respond all the time," Dutertre said. "Sometimes when you haven't had success in the win/loss column you have to keep reminding them... trying to get them to hone that and make sure they're playing hard."



The Tigers added another one in the third period before Ethan O'Rouke broke the shutout late with is fifth goal of the season converting a Garrett Sambrook pass.

Swift Current had Tyler Lees in the lineup for the first time after adding him from Victoria.

The two teams meet Saturday night in Medincine Hat in Swift Current's first road trip in seven games. Listen to our broadcast of Robertson Family Group Broncos Hockey at 8pm on The Eagle 94.1 FM.