The Regina Pats and Swift Current Broncos are two teams headed in the same direction.

Both contenders last season they are now rebuilding after most of their veteran leaders graduated.

It was Regina's returning veterans who led them to their first home win of the season today 7-1 over Swift Current.

Jake Leschyshyn, Nick Henry and Austin Pratt combined for six points and were the spark that seemed to push the Pats to a dominant victory.

For Swift Current the loss was a step back after some recent progress they were making over their previous four games.

"I think guys didn't compete hard enough," said Broncos Coach/Director of Hockey Operations Dean Brockman. "Didn't work hard enough. Guys were just trying to do their own thing and we're not a team that can do our own thing. We have to collectively as a group be a lot better... when you get spanked like we got spanked everybody has to be accountable."



It was a loss that saw a little bit of everything go wrong and every part of the team owned a piece of it.

"Guys have to hold each other accountable," Brockman said. "As coaches we can tell them, you can plead with them and you can try and con them, but until guys start holding each other accountable for their play or their actions it's a tough road. Us as coaches we've got to take some ownership as well. We have to be better in getting them more prepared... for us we've got to just try again to stay positive and try to get better."

The first period was the best of the three for Swift Current as both teams were a bit choppy. Joel Hofer stopped Leschyshyn on a breakaway to keep it close before Pratt opened the scoring on a scrambly play late in the period.

Things fell apart early in the second as Hofer's give-away behind his net resulted in a Henry goal 15 seconds in. The Pats completely stomped on any of Swift Current's momentum with a shorthanded goal just over two minutes later when Scott Mahovlich out-battled the Broncos in front of their own net for a rebound. It was the third shorthanded goal the Broncos had given up on their power play this weekend.

Regina added to their lead with a power play goal from Sergei Alkhimov and were in firm control.

Swift Current found a sign of life at the end of the period when Matthew Culling forced a turnover deep in Regina territory and found Joona Kiviniemi going to the net. The skilled young Finn delayed long enough to open up Regina goaltender Max Paddock to score his fourth goal in his last six games.



The Pats then put the game out of reach with three more in the third period.

Regina outshot Swift Current 40-22. They went 1 for 4 on their power play, while holding the Broncos to 0 for 5.

Swift Current lost Tanner Nagel from the game midway through the third on a high hit from Parker Gavlas. There was also a scrap in the third as Cullling got the better of fellow rookie Cole Dubinksi.

Matthew Stanley missed the game due to the loss of his grandmother, while Roope Pynnonnen was hurt late in yesterday's 4-1 loss to Everett and Artyum Minulin remains out recovering from off-season surgery. Carter Spenst was the lone healthy scratch as Billy Sowa came back into the lineup after missing time with a minor injury.

The Broncos have now dropped seven straight games after their shootout win in Brandon. They're sitting at 1-14-0-0 on the season heading into a three-game home stand. They host Kootenay on Tuesday, Lethbridge on Friday and Edmonton on Saturday.

"That is the greatest place to play the game in Swift Current," Brockman said. "That barn with the crowd that's a lot of fun. We've got to find that fun in our game and our intensity. Just kind of find our way to play five minute segments throughout the period and try to improve."