As the team approaches the 29-game mark – which represents the halfway points of its season – the Broncos lead the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League with a 20-7-0-0 record, as of Monday. What has allowed the Broncos to be successful?
“The team has bought into how we want to play,” Humboldt head coach Scott Barney said. “They’re playing for each other, which is important.”
The success has not come without adversity. After going 13-1 in its last 14 games, the Broncos were 1-2 last week. They snapped a two-game skid with a victory over the SJHL’s fourth best team in the Flin Flon Bombers. Injuries have meant the defence has been shorthanded at times over the past month. Forward Logan Kurki has decided to step away from hockey for a while. As of Monday, he was fifth in the SJHL in scoring with 33 points in 21 games.
Heading into this week, the Broncos were tied with Battlefords for second in the SJHL in goals for with 105, behind Estevan’s 106. Humboldt also was second in goals against with 64, while Estevan led with 52. That combination has made the Broncos tough to beat – especially if they have a lead. The squad is 9-0-0-0 leading after the first period. The team is 16-0-0-0 when they hold the lead at the second intermission.
Offensively, the Humboldt team boasts four of the league’s top seven scorers and five of the top 17. Those numbers include Kurki. Connor McGrath is second in the SJHL in scoring with 37 points in 27 games. He leads the league with 26 assists. Alec Saretzky is third in points with 36. He is tied with Estevan’s Mark Rumsey for the league lead in goals with 19. They are just two of the players who have proven they can contribute offensively.
“We have depth throughout the lineup,” Barney said. “That’s helped us. In certain situations, if one line is not going, other picks up the slack.”
While the Broncos have a number of veterans, they have also put their trust in young talent. In McGrath, Matthew Perkins (31 points, seventh in the SJHL) and Lucas Ceccarelli (24 points, 17th), they have three of the league’s top seven rookie scorers.
At the other end of the ice, goaltender Rayce Ramsay has been impressive since returning to the team that he suited up for as a rookie in 2018-2019. Ramsay leads SJHL netminders in wins (20), games played (25), minutes (1,483), shootout wins (three) and saves (674). He is fourth in goals against average (2.23) and save percentage (.925).
“Rayce has been a key for our success,” Barney said. “Always making the saves when needed and big saves. When nine times out of 10 those ones would go in and he makes a save that is highlight reel worthy.”
In front of Ramsay is a veteran blue line group. It has four 20-year-olds with captain Kade Olsen, Cody Hough, Nicksha Eric, and Reilly Mckinnon. Humboldt’s own Noah Barlage, an 18-year-old in his third season with the club, is third in the league in defenceman scoring with 18 points.
Barney said the experienced group has been great, but due to injuries the team has found itself playing with only five defencemen at times in the last month. The coach said it has been tough, but the situation has given other players more experience.
Another factor in the Broncos’ success has been the community’s support. Humboldt leads the SJHL with an average attendance of 721. The Bronco are 10-2-0-0 as the home team this season.
“It’s been a lot of fun to play at home,” Ceccarelli said last week. “We have great fans and there’s been a lot of support from the community, and I think that definitely has helped when we’ve had a couple of tight games at home recently. It’s definitely one of the best rinks to play in throughout the league.”
The Broncos last week
Thursday, Nov. 25 in Humboldt
La Ronge 3, Humboldt 1
Broncos Scorer: Alec Saretzky
Ice Wolves Scorers: Anthony Oviedo, Walker Jerome, Holden Knights
Goalies: William Dyke, Humboldt, 23 saves on 26 shots; Xavier Cannon, La Ronge, 28 on 29
Attendance: 589
Notes: In the second period, after La Ronge scored on a powerplay, Saretzky answered. The Ice Wolves scored twice in the third. Dyke had 23 saves in his Broncos debut.
Saturday, Nov. 27 in Humboldt
Flin Flon 3, Humboldt 2
Broncos Scorers: Matthew Perkins, Cage Newans
Bombers Scorers: Jacob Vockler, Jaxon Martens, Gabriel Shipper
Goalies: Rayce Ramsay, Humboldt, 33 saves on 36 shots; Cal Schell, Flin Flon, 25 on 27
Attendance: 740
Notes: Perkins opened the scoring on a powerplay but Flin Flon scored twice to hold 2-1 lead at the first intermission. Newans tied the game in the second, but the Bombers scored the game winner in the third.
Sunday, Nov. 28 in Humboldt
Humboldt 5, Flin Flon 4
Broncos Scorers: Alec Saretzky (2), Nicksha Eric, Matthew Perkins, Reilly Mckinnon
Bombers Scorers: Jeremi Tremblay, Mackenzie Carson, Nathan Gagne, Cole Duppereault
Goalies: Rayce Ramsay, Humboldt, 31 saves on 35 shots; Cal Schell, Flin Flon, 26 on 31
Attendance: 651
Notes: The Bombers led 1-0 after the first period. The game was knotted at 2-2 after the second. The teams traded goals in the third until Saretzky scored the game winner on the powerplay with 30 seconds remaining. Saretzky had three points on the night, while Mckinnon and Alex Morozoff had two each. Humboldt was 2-for-6 on the powerplay. Flin Flon was 1-for-6.
Notes
After acquiring goaltender William Dyke the previous week, the Broncos announced the trade of netminder Liam Stevens to the Manitoba Junior Hockey League’s Portage Terriers for future considerations. … The Broncos were fined $500 for comments made during its Nov. 21 contest versus Notre Dame. … Forward Logan Kurki has decided to step away from hockey for a while.
This Week
The Humboldt Broncos (20-7-0-0) are in Kindersley (11-13-0-1) Tuesday to take on the Klippers. On the weekend, the squad plays two road games against the Flin Flon Bombers (17-8-0-0).
