With Tyler Steenbergen, and potentially Artyom Minulin and Aleksi Heponiemi set to miss WHL action for the upcoming World Junior Championships, it's given other Broncos chances to increase their minutes and roles.

Notably, with Glenn Gawdin no longer flanked by perhaps both Heponiemi and Steenbergen on the top line, Max Patterson and Logan Barlage have had a chance to log ice time with the captain.

Since Steenbergen has already been out of the lineup the past seven games, while Heponiemi has missed the last three, the two physical forwards have impressed Gawdin while grouped together.

"I think they've been playing really well. Patterson has been taking a couple big jumps - especially that Alberta road swing. I think that overtime winner kind of gave him that added confidence that he needed," Gawdin said, adding it was the same case with Barlage.

"Scoring that goal [Barlage's first career WHL goal came December 13 against the Kelowna Rockets] - that's something that you're going to remember for probably the rest of your career and your life. That's a big one, and it just adds that confidence that he was probably missing in his game."

"I think we're just trying to get some sort of chemistry - obviously we haven't played a whole lot together this year, I think it's starting to come now," Gawdin noted. "Playing with Hepo and Steener for me has been a little bit different than playing with these guys."

Gawdin hasn't missed a beat offensively with his two linemates out, racking up 15 points (7 G, 8 A) in the past seven contests, and seemingly sparking that chemistry with the current trio he finds himself a part of.

Six (1 G, 5 A) of Patterson's ten points this season have come in the past five games, while Barlage has scored three (1 G, 2 A) of his seven in the past four.

Steenbergen has been out of the lineup the past seven games, last playing December 2, while Heponiemi has been out since December 10 (three games). The Broncos have gone 6-1 since Steenbergen last suited up.

Minulin has yet to miss a game but could make it a trio of Broncos out of the lineup ahead of a December 27-28 home-and-home with the Moose Jaw Warriors.

Meanwhile, the World Junior tournament starts Boxing Day.