HUMBOLDT — Although they might not always get the highlight reel goals or the accolades, Nicksha Eric and the Humboldt Broncos blue line crew are playing important roles in the team’s success this season.
On the weekend, the Broncos beat the Melfort Mustangs, 3-2 and 5-2. Melfort had entered the week with the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League’s best record. After the weekend series sweep, Humboldt sports a 10-4-0-0 record, topped the Global Ag Risk Solutions Division, and sat second in the league standings behind Flin Flon (11-5-0-0).
The 20-year-old Eric is certainly an important piece for the Broncos. Head coach Scott Barney said the 6-foot-2, 195-pounder is a good, smooth skater with strong puck moving abilities.
“His gap control, in our mind, is one of the best in the SJHL,” Barney said. “Very poised with the puck. Makes smart decisions. We feel he is one of the top defencemen in the SJHL.”
The head coach said that Eric’s “game just grows every year.” This season the Fort McMurray product had a goal and six assists through 13 games. His points per game average of 0.46 puts him ahead of what he posted in his first two SJHL seasons.
Fellow Broncos defenceman Cody Hough has been teammates with Eric in all of his Humboldt seasons. At times, they have been paired on the blue line.
“Playing D with Nicksha is always a pleasure,” Hough said. “He’s a solid defender and moves pucks quick. It’s hard not to look good while playing with him.”
While Eric is in his final junior season, Barney forecasts more hockey ahead for him.
“He is able play on both his strong side and his offside, which is very difficult for a defenceman of his age,” said Barney, who played defence in the National Hockey League. “I believe he’s got a great opportunity to go onto the next level in hockey.”
Eric is a member of a Broncos defensive group that has helped the team succeed and is deep. Each game the Humboldt coaching staff has to make the hard decision of who has to sit out.
“I like our D core – very balanced, a lot of good puck movers with good mobility,” Barney said. “We have seven here right now that can be in on any given night. We are just trying to give the guys that are going that night the best opportunity to stay in the lineup.
“We really like our defending qualities on the backend – allowing our goalie to stop the first puck and clearing all second chance opportunities.”
The Broncos blue line is a veteran group. Four of them are in their 20-year-old season and five were with the team last season. Hometown product Noah Barlage is in his 18-year-old campaign and his third season with the club. He paces the Broncos defencemen in scoring with eight points and is six in the league in blue line points.
Captain Kade Olsen, Hough, Eric and Reilly McKinnon are all in their final junior season. In his fourth Humboldt campaign, Olsen has three points in 14 games. Hough (four points in 13 games) is in his third season. McKinnon (four points in 14 games) joined the Broncos last season from the Alberta Junior Hockey League but did not play any games before the COVID-19 pandemic forced the season’s pause and eventual cancellation.
New to the team this season are Quinn Myles, who turns 18 in November, and Owen Evers, a 19-year-old. Evers has recorded two assists in nine games, while Myles has played in six contests. The new faces on the blue line and up front have helped the team on and off the ice.
“What I enjoy the most about the new squad is the energy these new guys are bringing,” Hough said. “It’s making the room more fun and it’s showing on the ice.”
The Broncos last week
Wednesday, Oct. 20 in Humboldt
Humboldt 3, La Ronge 2 SO
Broncos Scorers: Cage Newans, Logan Kurki
Ice Wolves Scorers: Brandon Della Paolera, Ryley Morgan
Goalies: Rayce Ramsay, Humboldt, 28 saves on 30 shots; Xavier Cannon, La Ronge, 39 on 41
Attendance: 609
Notes: In the shootout, Newans was the only one of the eight shooters to score. Ramsey stopped all four of the Ice Wolves’ shootout attempts. Humboldt led 2-1 at the intermissions. Both of Humboldt’s goals came on the powerplay as they scored on two of their eight opportunities. The Broncos killed off all five of La Ronge’s man advantage chances. “Our powerplay scores twice and we didn’t give any up on the PK,” head coach Scott Barney said. “That’s a big difference. Both goalies played great. Ramsey for us and Cannon for them. Great to see the game go into a shootout and good for us to come on the right side of it with a great crowd for us in the EPA.”
Friday, Oct. 22 in Melfort
Humboldt 3, Melfort 2
Mustangs Scorers: Curtis Hammond, Kevin Minnoch
Broncos Scorers: Logan Kurki, Matthew Perkins, Lucas Ceccarelli
Goalies: Joel Favreau, Melfort, 30 saves on 33 shots; Rayce Ramsey, Humboldt, 29 on 31
Attendance: 771
Notes: Melfort led 1-0 after the first period. The Broncos exploded for three goals in the second, outscoring the hosts 3-1, to take a 3-2 lead that would hold up. “We made some adjustments to our lines and it created a spark, which led to our scoring,” head coach Scott Barney said. “We were more engaged in the game and skating.” Only Minnoch’s goal to open the scoring came on the powerplay. Melfort was 1-for-4 with the man advantage, while Humboldt was 0-for-2.
Saturday, Oct. 23 in Humboldt
Humboldt 5, Melfort 2
Broncos Scorers: Logan Kurki (4), Matthew Perkins,
Mustangs Scorers: Tye Evans, Dawson Leroux
Goalies: Rayce Ramsay, Humboldt, 22 saves on 24 shots; Joel Favreau, Melfort, 12 on 16; James Venne, Melfort, 12 on 12
Attendance: 695
Notes: Perkins had the lone goal in the first period. Evans tied things up in the second on the powerplay before Kurki netted a hat trick, including one with the man advantage, to stake the Broncos to a 4-1 lead at the second intermission. Leroux scored in the third before Kurki added an empty net goal. Of his four goal performance, Kurki said, “I think the overall team success and energy leading up to Saturday’s game contributed a lot. My teammates all played a great game and made my job a lot easier as well.”
The Quote
“I thought the boys really bought into playing a 200-foot game by first taking care of our defensive zone then letting the offence take care of itself when we got the opportunities. Melfort has a very good hockey club and to get those four points is very big going forward here.”
— Broncos head coach Scott Barney on the team’s weekend sweep of Melfort
Notes
The Broncos open the week on a four-game winning streak. … As of Sunday, they sat second in the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League standings – just two points behind league-leading Flin Flon. … As of Sunday, Broncos Logan Kurki and Connor McGrath were tied for tops in the SJHL in scoring with 21. Kurki’s have come in 11 games and McGrath’s in 14. Teammate Alec Saretzky was fourth in the SJHL with 17. He was tied for the league lead with 11 goals. Rayce Ramsay led the SJHL with 10 wins.
This Week
On Friday night, the Humboldt Broncos (10-4-0-0) head to Battlefords (8-3-1-1). The Broncos then return home to play Weyburn (3-6-2-0).
