Only a few days ago it looked like the MJHL Champion Portage Terriers had the defending ANAVET Cup and Royal Bank Cup Champion Humboldt Broncos down and out. After splitting the first two games in Portage the Dawgs jumped out to a commanding 3-1 series lead after doing the unthinkable. Defeating the Broncos on back to back nights at the Elgar. Game 5 was a do or die game for the hometown Broncos, and do they did. After jumping out to a 6-1 lead after the first period the Broncos put the pedal to the metal, demolishing the Pups 12-2 to send the series back to Portage.
Game 6 was an entertaining affair with both teams getting their chances but Humboldt wanted it more, outshooting the hometown Terriers 46-33 and more importantly, outscoring them 4-3 as former Notre Dame Hound Tanner Vandesype scored an unassisted goal to tie the series at 3.
A day later both teams once again took to the ice, this time, it was a winner take all tilt between two bonafide heavyweights. In one corner you have the back to back MJHL Champs the Portage Terriers and in the other corner you have the 3 time SJHL Champs, defending ANAVET Cup Champs and most impressive of all, RBC Champs, the Humboldt Broncos. Humboldt took the lead early on when Scott "Don't Call me Steve" Schroeder scored, assisted by Shawn Hunter and Kyle Cowan. That lead lasted a whole 30 seconds though as Portage responded nearly immediately when Riley Nixdorf gave the hometown crowd a reason to cheer when he put the biscuit in the basket to tie the game up at 1. Picking up the assists were Donnie Glennie and Ryan Audino. Less then a minute later the Dawgs took the lead when Dylan Kelly potted his 2nd goal of the ANAVET Cup. Picking up the helpers were Carson Rowat and Cam Canart. That was all the scoring in the 1st frame as the hometown Terriers took a 2-1 lead into the first intermission.
Period 2 seen Portage add to their lead when Audino capitalized on Portage's only powerplay of the period to give the home side a 3-1 lead. Nixdorf and Eddie Friesen registered the assists. Just under 4 minutes later the Terriers once again lit the red light behind Broncos goalie Mathieu LaRochelle when Eric Delong bulged the twine to send the Dog Pound into a frenzy. Robbie Roteliuk and Brenden Walker picked up points with the assists on the 4th Terriers goal. That was all the action in the 2nd period with Portage taking a monsterous 4-1 lead into the 3rd and final regulation period.
Things looked good for the hometown team with Portage 20 minutes away from securing a spot in the Royal Bank Cup and winning the ANAVET Cup. Unfortunately for them, the Broncos missed the memo saying it was all over. Cue, the Comeback. When Cory More was called on a rather questionable kneeing penalty the Broncos devastating powerplay went to work. First Vandesype found the tunnel in Terriers goalie Bryan Mountain to cut the lead to 4-2. Then "Thing One" Steve Schroeder bulged the net assisted by "Thing Two" Scott Schroeder and Tory Allan. Both teams went back and forth for the rest of the period and with 1 minute left and Portage fans getting ready to pop the champagne the Broncos struck. Scott Schroeder finished off his 4 point night by making the girls in the stands cry and the men in the stand swig some rye as he tied the game up and sent game 7 into the dreaded overtime period.
5 minutes fifty six seconds. Thats all it took for former Battlefords Star Nick Kalnicki to end the game and send the Broncos to Victoria, BC for the Royal Bank Cup. With that goal the Broncos climbed the Mountain (Bryan) and ended the Portage Terriers great season. Bring on the Vipers!
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