After their most difficult stretch of the season the Swift Current Broncos are back in action Sunday against Prince Albert.

The Broncos haven't played since last Sunday and had a week off to address winning only once in their last six games.

“A much needed week,” Pederson said. “It was a good week to regroup and sort out some kinks that we've noticed in our game as of late. A week off has been a good work week, a good reset week and come ready to play. This game against PA this weekend is probably the most important game of the season getting our game back on track.”

The Broncos have been having issues defensively allowing six goals in each of their last two games and an average of over five a game over that six game stretch.

“There's no exact thing,” Pederson said. “Consistently our PK we've got to tighten it up. Giving up three power play goals a game is just unacceptable and just kills game. Our special teams have to be better both sides power play and PK. If we can do that and tighten up our d-zone we'll be fine.”

The penalty kill has been dropping steadily in the last two months to the point where the Broncos are now last in the WHL at 71.6%. They allowed three power play goals against in each of their last two games.

“I think a lot of it is mental,” Pederson said. “We've proven our system it works. It's not that our system is any different than a lot of teams in the league. A lot of it is mental and bearing down on the little fine details.”

In general the Broncos have gone from a relatively stingy team earlier in the season to lately one that needs to score five or six goals a night to win. That's not how the coaches have it drawn up or what the players expect.

“We're getting away from our system and playing chance for chance hockey,” Pederson said. “We can play that game but it's not beneficial for us. We have a system in place where we are strong in the d-zone and get our chances from there. I think if we just get back to playing Manny's system we'll be fine.”

The Broncos are 2-4-0-1 since the WHL trade deadline that saw Swift Current move five players off their roster while adding veteran goaltender Jordan Papirny, forward Ryley Lindgren and young defenceman Jake Hobson. Pederson doesn't think those changes should have upended their chemistry even short term.

“Whenever you lose key pieces out your locker room it alters the chemistry but we got quality guys,” Pederson said. “It alters the chemistry a little I guess, but it's still the same game and the same core of guys. We've done a lot of building stuff this week on and off the ice. They're great guys, they've come in and it's like they've been here all year. Right now our team we're in a good place. We're not satisfied by any means, but we're eager, confident and excited to get this thing going.”

Part of that process is finding chemistry with new linemates. Pederson has been playing with Lindgren and they are both still getting to know each other on the ice as well.

“It's just getting familiar,” Pederson noted. “We're working together before and after practice. Getting familiar with how he plays and how I play. We're just trying to figure out each other's little tendancies. Once it clicks I think the flood gates will open.”

The Broncos are 6-0 against the Raiders this season and are surely hoping to build on that this Sunday. Despite their dominance in the season series they have come to expect a hard and physical game from Prince Albert.

“They play us tight every time,” Pederson said. “It's going to be a hard fought game. We've got a lot to prove to ourselves and the league that we're not going to fold up and go away. We're an elite team in this league we believe, but we have to prove it. PA they work their butts off every night and they come to play. We're going to have to match their intensity.”

Our pre-game show starts at 3:30pm with Robertson Family Group Broncos Hockey on The Eagle 94.1 and puck drop just after 4pm at the Credit Union iPlex.