Broncos Back in Win Column

After being embarrassed 7-1 at the hands of the USA laiden Vernon Vipers the Humboldt Broncos responded with a statement game, defeating the Ontario champion Kingston Voyageurs 5-2.

This game could have been much uglier had it not been for Vees goaltender Shawn Sirman. Sirman made a handful of big saves in the first period as the Broncos outshot Kingston 18-9, but after one period the game remained tied at 0. The Broncos were 0-2 on the powerplay in the first period, but thats not dueto not trying. The powerplay, which had been lackluster at best for the first two games, came alive but could not solve Sirman in period number 1.

Humboldt carried the play to begin the 2nd period but it was the Voyageurs who would strike first when Jarrett Burton slipped the puck past Broncos goaltender Andrew Bodnarchuk, who made his first start of the Royal Bank Cup. The lead did not last long however, as Humboldt's Taylor Piller, hero of game 6 of the ANAVET Cup, finally solved the Sirman puzzle to put the Broncos on the board and tie the game at 1. Kingston retook the lead at the 12:30 mark when Mike Farrell scored his 4th goal of the Royal Bank Cup to give the Central champs their 2nd lead of the game. That lead lasted all of 2 minutes and 5 seconds though as Broncos defenceman Dimitri Levin blasted his first goal of the Royal Bank Cup and first of the season to tie the game up at 2. Humboldt would take the lead just over 2 minutes later when the speedster Tory Allan scored on Sirman to give the Broncos their first lead of the game. That was all the scoring in the 2nd period as the defending champion Humboldt Broncos went into the lockeroom with a 3-2 lead.

The Humboldt Broncos got their first powerplay since the 1st period at 6:55 of the third when Kingston superstar Mike Farrell was sent off for 2 minutes or less for interference. It happened to be less as the Broncos powerplay, which was firing on all cylinders in the 1st period went to work and scored for the first time this RBC tournament off the stick of game 1 hero Scott Schroeder. The Broncos would add an empty netter to take the game 5-2 and combined with a Summerside Western Capitals loss (6-3 to the host Victoria Grizzlies) the Broncos qualified for the playoff portion of the tournament.

The Broncos will take on the previously mentioned Summerside Western Capitals, who, at the end of their game against the Grizzlies, got a bit dirty as 3 were sent off for penalties. Daniel Whelan for roughing, Will Johnston for slashing and Mike MacIsaac with 2 minutes for a hit to the head and a 10 minute misconduct.

Hopefully Summerside smartens up and comes to play tomorrow at 8:00pm Saskatchewan time against the Broncos, as opposed to playing dirty...