In an exciting home game win, the Midget AA Broncos are now the provincial championships after a win against the Notre Dame Hounds.
Fresh off a league championship the Humboldt Midget AA Broncos were back in action on Mar. 23 with game one of their two game total goal series against the Notre Dame Bantam AAA Hounds.
The Broncos came out of the gate quickly with Tanner Gerwing scoring the games opening goal 1:10 into the first period.
The game remained 1-0 through the end of the first period, with the Broncos receiving some luck after a Hound hit the post near the end of the period.
The teams battled hard in the second period but neither was able to find the back of the net as the Broncos carried their 1-0 lead into the third period.
The Broncos struck quickly again in the third period as Tyler Behiel gave the Broncos a 2-0 lead just 1:08 into the period. The Broncos continued playing stifling defence throughout the game as they managed to shutout the Hounds 2-0. Jacob Wassermann was the first goalie to shut the Hounds out this season as he made 19 saves.
The Broncos returned home for game two of the series on Mar. 26 holding a 2-0 lead.
The first period was even as both teams had chances but the lone goal of the period went to the Broncos as Dayden Dvernichuk gave the Broncos a 1-0 lead.
The Broncos extended their lead early in the second period when Reagan Poncelet scored on a nice pass from Colton Halvorson. The two goal lead was short lived however, as the Hounds answered shortly after to cut the game back to a goal.
The Hounds carried that momentum through the period as they continued to pressure the Broncos. As the period was winding down Luke Puto forced a Hounds turnover near the blue line and beat the Hounds goalie over the shoulder to extend the Broncos lead back to a pair.
As the third period started the Broncos looked to be comfortably in the lead holding a 3-1 edge in the game and a 5-1 lead in the series.
Knowing their season was hanging in the balance the Hounds came out flying in the third period catching the Broncos on their heels.
Within the first few minutes of the period the Hounds found the back of the net twice and managed to tie the game up at three.
With the game starting to slip away from the Broncos, Head Coach Chris Hamilton continued to give his players the same message he had all season.
“Just get back to what we do that got us here and keep that momentum going, get back behind their net and play the right way and we were able to do that to the end of the period.”
The Hounds, needing two more goals to tie the series, continued pushing the pace and had the Broncos on the ropes a few times but Wassermann was there when the Broncos needed him and they were also aided by a few goal posts. As the period wore on the Hounds seemed to run out of gas and were unable to find another goal.
Late in the period, the Hounds pulled their goalie to get the extra attacker looking to cut the series to a single goal but the plan backfired as Halvorson iced the game with an empty net goal in the final minute.
The Broncos won the game 4-3 and the series 6-3.
Hamilton said that the provincial championship was about building the team from the beginning of the season.
“This is about the guys and how we played all year and them all buying into a system and not putting themselves in front of the team and it turned out really well for us at home here tonight.”
Hamilton was very pleased with his team through the year and was happy to be called a league and provincial champion.
“It’s just the icing on the cake to a wonderful season.”
The Broncos season is now over as the returning players now have a summer to refresh before they try to defend their provincial championship and look for their third straight league title.
