The Humboldt Broncos winning streak was snapped at four games this week but thanks to a 1-0-1 week the Broncos have picked up points in nine of their ten games so far this season and remain in top spot in the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League standings.
The Broncos kicked off their week on Oct. 4 when they welcomed the La Ronge Ice Wolves to the Elgar Peterson Arena.
The Broncos came out of the gate flying against the Ice Wolves as they dominated the early part of the game, as the Ice Wolves failed to record their first shot until the game was approximately 14 minutes old.
After having a huge night in his previous game, Broncos forward Chris Van Os-Shaw picked up where he left off as he put home a pair of goals in the opening 20 minutes to give the Broncos a 2-0 lead.
Van Os-Shaw wasted little time completing the natural hat trick as he beat Ice Wolves goalie Josh Dechaine 1:06 into the second period and added his fourth goal of the night, all in a row, at 11:29 on the power play to give the Broncos a commanding 4-0 lead.
Humboldt native, Dawson Atamanchuk, scored his first career SJHL goal :58 seconds later for the Broncos and the route was on.
The Ice Wolves got on the board thanks to a lucky bounce to cut the Broncos lead to 5-1 at the second intermission.
The Broncos added two third period goals as Kobe Scott scored his second goal of the season shorthanded and Posch added a late marker to carry the Broncos to a convincing 7-1 win.
The game was a total domination for the Broncos as they carried the play for long stretches of the hockey game, outshooting the Ice Wolves 47-21 in the process.
Garrett Mason was steady between the piped for the Broncos making 20 of 21 saves in the win.
Van Os-Shaw carried the load offensively for the Broncos finishing with four goals and one assist for five points.
After a couple of days off the Broncos were back in action at the EPA as the Kindersley Klippers rolled into town on Oct. 7.
It was a far less dominant start for the Broncos as a fresh Klippers team tried to push a faster tempo against the Broncos.
Despite the slower start from the Broncos they still managed to get on the board first as Humboldt native Erik Gardiner scored his first career SJHL goal in his first career SJHL game after being reassigned to the Broncos from the WHL’s Regina Pats.
The Klippers wasted little time knotting the game back up as they scored the equalizer off the stick of Josh Bly just 43 seconds later.
After an up and down first period the Broncos came out flying in the second, carrying the play for large chunks of the middle frame including a stretch of 12 minutes to open the period where they held the Klippers shotless.
The game remained tied until 6:26 when Gardiner banged home his second of the game to put the Broncos back on top 2-1.
The Broncos got off to a slow start in the third period as the Klippers pushed back in a big way scoring the equalizing goal just 2:11 into the period and grabbing their first lead of the night ten minutes later.
The two Klippers goals marked the first time in ten games this season that the Broncos have given up two goals in the third period.
Needing a goal the Broncos were sent to the power play with six minutes remaining.
Just 29 seconds into the power play Trevor Posch blew a wrist shot past Gunnar Neilsen to tie the game up at three.
The game remained scoreless through the end of regulation and the three-on-three overtime as the Broncos treated the 735 fans in attendance to their first home shootout since Nov. 1, 2015.
Van Os-Shaw missed on the Broncos’ first attempt and Cole Plotnikoff beat Mason to give the Klippers a 1-0 lead after the first round of the shootout.
The final three shooters missed including Gardiner and Posch as the Broncos suffered a tough 4-3 loss snapping their win streak at four games.
Mason was steady between the pipes again for the Broncos making 33 of 36 saves in defeat.
Offensively the Broncos were lead by the newly formed line of Gardiner, Matthieu Gomercic, and newly added Levi Hulston as each finished with two points on the night.
It was a touch game for the Broncos, says Gardiner, who noted that they just did not get the bounces to go their way.
“We played hard but it just didn’t work out.”
Gardiner was really pleased to be able to contribute so early in his SJHL career.
“It was nice to get the first one out of the way and it was nice to get the second one as an addition.”
Being a Humboldt native Gardiner says playing his first SJHL game was extra special.
“I grew up watching the Broncos my whole life so it was pretty cool stepping on the ice and wearing the jersey and it was pretty cool getting the first one for us.”
Looking ahead the Broncos return to action with games on Oct. 12 at home against the Flin Flon Bombers, Oct. 14 when they travel to Nipawin to take on a well rested Hawks team and Oct. 15 when they travel to Kindersley for a rematch against the Klippers.
With the third ranked Bombers coming to town on Oct. 12 Gardiner says it was nice to get a tough test from the Klippers after some relatively easy win for the Broncos in recent games.
“This game is good for us to bring us back down to earth so hopefully we can come here for Flin Flon and beat them.”
