For the first time in three years the Humboldt Broncos are getting set for Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League quarterfinal action, as they will take on the Nipawin Hawks.
“It’s going to be two good teams going at it,” said Broncos head coach Darcy Haugan, so the Broncos will have to be ready.
“Obviously, it’sx just going to be a hard fought series and we just have to be extremely disciplined and extremely focused and just ready to play any type of game and I think we’re capable of that.”
The series will see the Broncos come up against a Hawks team that finished 19 points higher in the standings, and won nine more games, but Haugan says they have started to play their best hockey at the right time of year.
“We’re finally getting everybody healthy… there was some good moments and some bad moments but I think we’re going to be rested, we’re going to be fresh just like they are.”
The teams split the six game season series right down the middle this season with each team finishing with a 3-2-1 record, but Haugan notes if they play fast and with pace they will have a greater chance at success.
“We’re going to need good goaltending and we’re going to need timely scoring and we’re going to have to be structurally sound for seven games or less.”
For the Broncos to have success they are going to need to score goals, which will be no easy take against a Hawks team lead by SJHL Most Valuable Player and Goalie of the Year, Kristian Stead.
“We’re going to have to be diligent about directing pucks at the net, we’re going to have to be real diligent at making sure we’re getting to the net and control those second chance, third chance opportunities,” said Haugan who notes he feels equally as comfortable with reigning goaltender of the month Garrett Mason in his own net.
“We believe he can do the job for us as well and it’s going to be honestly who blinks first.”
The two teams match up pretty well against one another offensively as well and Haugan says it will be really important for everyone to be focused on every shift.
“They’re four lines deep, we’re not going to be able to hide anybody in this series with matchups just because they’re so deep. So we’re going to have to be ready.”
Being smart with the puck and managing it well will go a long way in deciding the series, says Haugan, who notes keeping mistakes to a minimum and being willing to go the extra mile is a great place to start.
“It’s just a matter of being dialed in. And who can sustain that and who can be the more disciplined team and the team that executes better. And you can’t be careless with the puck and you can’t be careless as far as taking bad penalties.”
Special teams are often the deciding factor in a playoff series and this one will be no different as the Broncos run into a Hawks team that finished the regular season third on both the power play and penalty kill, while the Broncos ranked tenth on the power play and seventh on the penalty kill.
“Obviously specialty teams is huge so it’s been a focus of ours and we believe we have the group and we believe that we can create opportunities. And hopefully gain some momentum because of our power play.”
