Two Bronco Snipers Finding Success

Two forwards at different stages of their careers for the Swift Current Broncos are finding their offensive touch.

18-year-old Jay Merkley and rookie 17-year-old Jake DeBrusk are both finding the net recently as the Broncos are playing some better hockey over the last week.

Merkley hit the 20-goal mark for the first time in his WHL career on Sunday when he scored twice in a 7-0 win over Prince Albert. The former first round bantam draft pick had started to feel last season like his offensive game would never come around.

"It feels good," Merkley said. "After last year it's not something I really thought I would hit. My confidence was at an all-time low. I'm just playing with incredible players this year and my confidence has just gone up."

The Calgary native is trusting his shot more this season.

"I'm starting not to pass up as many shots," Merkley said. "I'm just trying to get the puck on net. (Coach/GM Mark Lamb) stresses that to us all the time. The more you shoot the puck the more you're going to score goals."

His coach has been really impressed with Merkley's progress this season.

"He changed his stick," Lamb said. "He just didn't find his groove (last season). He didn't like where he was, he didn't like hockey and he a lot of different things going through him. He wasn't working hard enough to be a hockey player, he wasn't dedicated enough to be a hockey player."

"You've got to give the kid a lot of credit. He worked hard this summer and he came back in a good frame of mind. He's got one of the best shots on the team. He's just getting better."

Merkley has 21 goals and 22 assists in 49 games this season. He's over a point per game in January.

Meanwhile, DeBrusk has scored in each of his last two games playing on a new line with veterans Coda Gordon and Nathan Burns.

"I'm just trying to focus on my defensive game," DeBrusk said. "I'm just giving them the puck and trying to get open. Gordon usually finds me when I'm open. I've just been staying high slot lately."

The rookie is enjoying playing with two guys that are among the better two-way veterans in the league.

"They are really good at supporting the puck," DeBrusk said. "They're both offensively minded players. I kind of just give them the puck, go down low and we kind of read off each other. We kind of just find each other now."

DeBrusk has 9 points and 13 assists in 49 games through his rookie season so far. Their line has combined for 6 goals and 14 points over 2 games together.

Swift Current hosts Prince Albert on Friday night and visits Saskatoon on Saturday. You can hear both games with Pioneer Co-op Home Centre Broncos Hockey at 6:30pm on The Eagle 94.1 FM.