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Carter Rigby lays out Blake Heinrich of the Portland Winterhawks in a game last week (Photo: Darwin Knelsen)

Swift Current Broncos forward Carter Rigby has been making an impact on his new team with his big shot and physical play.

The 20-year-old forward has been setting the tone for the Broncos with some thunderous body checks since being acquired from Kelowna on October 10th.

"For me, if I feel like I'm hitting, I'm moving my feet and it's a big part of my game, and if I don't hit, I'm not usually in the game," he said. "I try to get out early and make something happen, and that just gets me engaged in the game."

On the scoresheet, Rigby has three power play goals in his last five games to lead the WHL in power play goals with six. He has 13 points in 14 regular season games with both the Rockets and Broncos.

"I'm getting my chances and they're going in," he said. "I just close my eye and shoot, and they're going in."

Broncos Associate coach Josh Dixon has taken note of Rigby's impact on the power play as well.

"That shot on the power play... we're encouraging him to continue to use it," Dixon said. "It's a big weapon of his, and I think he's right. It's just one of those where you just close your eyes and tee it up."

Meanwhile, Dixon is on his way to Sarnia, Ontario for the World Under-17 Hockey Challenge starting this week, where he will be an assistant to McGill University Coach Kelly Nobes on Team Canada Black, which includes eight WHL players. There are two other Canadian teams in the week-long tournament, which starts on Friday.

The Broncos return to action on Friday when they host the Calgary Hitmen.