The host Swift Current Broncos missed an opportunity to earn some breathing room in the Eastern Conference playoff race as they suffered a 5-2 loss to the Kootenay Ice Monday.
Broncos captain Adam Lowry scored his 38th and 39th goals of the season but it was the only offense the Broncos could manufacture as they dropped to 28-26-3-3 and remain seventh in the Eastern Conference, only two points ahead of Kootenay.
Jaedon Descheneau scored three goals for Kootenay, while Levi Cable and Zach McPhee also scored to move Kootenay into the eighth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference ahead of the slumping Lethbridge Hurricanes. The Ice have come out of nowhere to enter the playoff picture with a 19-6-1-0 record since the Christmas break.
Eetu Laurikainen made 20 saves in the loss, while Mackenzie Skapski stopped 23 shots to earn his 28th win of the season.
The Broncos will play five home games and seven road games down the stretch with four games against Central Division teams and eight games against East Division teams.
The Broncos hold a 17-7-3-3 record against the East Division so far this season, but are only 8-12-0-0 against the Central Division.
They will be back at home Friday to host the Medicine Hat Tigers (30-27-2-1) in the first game of a home-and-away set. The Broncos currently trail the Tigers by one point for sixth place.
