It was a battle two nights running, but the Broncos emerged victorious from their trip north last week.
The Humboldt Broncos travelled to LaRonge December 16 for a two-game series against the Ice Wolves. Both contests would test the Broncos' depth and skill.
The first game at the Mel Hegland Arena in LaRonge had the Broncos behind until the second period.
LaRonge scored twice in the first period, the first time short-handed at 4:33 and the second time on a power play at 14:30.
The Broncos caught up with two goals in the second. The first came from Taylor Duzan just 52 seconds into the period, assisted by Taylor Johnson and Josh Roach.
The second was scored by Kameron Ballas, assisted by Johnson and Joey Davies at 19:52.
With the game tied at two, a scoreless third period, and five-minute overtime, the game went into a shootout.
It took just five shooters total for the game to be decided. Though Bronco Robbie Ciolfi failed to score on his attempt, his teammate John Lawrence put the puck past LaRonge goalie Alex Rajotte to give Humboldt the win.
None of LaRonge's three shooters - Zac Ashdown, Skyler Hladun or Brennan Ritchie - were able to score.
Penalties in the game were minor and few.
Humboldt outshot the Wolves just 45 to 44, and was zero for five on the power play, while LaRonge was one for five.
Just one Bronco - Lawrence - was named among the game's three stars.
The next night, things weren't so easy to settle.
In the teams' second matchup on December 17, the Ice Wolves again scored first - on a power play at 14:56 of the first period.
The Broncos answered back with a goal in the first period this time, a short-handed point by Andrew Johnston, assisted by Josh Roach and Kameron Ballas at 17:58.
The game was a little rougher on this second night, with a fight breaking out at 13:28 of the first period between Brett Pisio of the Broncos and Ben Bula of the Wolves. Pisio ended up with a five-minute major for fighting, another for kneeing and a game misconduct, while Bula got just five for fighting.
LaRonge took a 2-1 lead with a goal at 4:23 of the second, but the Broncos tied it up again before the end of the period. Robbie Ciolfi got Humboldt's second point of the night at 18:16 of the second, assisted by John Lawrence and Matt Glowa.
One of the Wolves - Graham Smerek, earned a 10-minute misconduct at 13:03 of the second. He also got two minutes for roughing.
In the third, the Wolves earned four more minor penalties, and the Broncos one, but again, neither team was able to score in that 20 minutes, or in the five-minute overtime.
Once again, the game went into a shootout. However, it took 17 shooters for each team - one fewer than their entire roster, excluding goaltenders - for a decision.
LaRonge's first shooter, Zac Ashdown, was able to score on Humboldt goaltender Matt Hrynkiw.
Humboldt's second shooter, John Lawrence, also scored on LaRonge's Alex Rajotte.
But from that point on, no one on either side was able to get a goal until Humboldt's 17th shooter took to the ice.
Ryan Marshall was able to get the puck past Rajotte, and when LaRonge's Ben Bula was unable to score, Humboldt finally claimed their eighth victory in a row.
Humboldt was zero for seven on the power play, while LaRonge was one for three, but the Broncos outshot the Wolves by a huge 51 to 34 margin.
Just one Bronco was named among the game stars - Marshall.
