The Humboldt Broncos wrapped up their 2017-2018 regular season with nothing more than a whimper, losing 5-1 to the Notre Dame Hounds in Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League action from Wilcox on March 6.
The Broncos, who have known for a couple of weeks that they will be heading out on the road for their first round playoff series against the Melfort Mustangs, elected to err on the side of caution resting a number of regulars including Logan Schatz, Jaxon Joseph, Bryce Fiske, Conner Lukan, Derek Patter and Ryan Straschnitzki.
With so many regulars resting, the Broncos welcomed a number of prospects into their lineup, including Boston Maxwell, Mitchell Girolami, and Trey Stocker, who all drew into the lineup over the weekend against the Battlefords North Stars, as well as Kade Olsen and Zach McIntyre who appeared in games earlier this season and Caleb Cherry, who made his SJHL debut.
Getting these young guys into the lineup was important, noted Haugan who says aside from giving his older players some extra rest, it also gave the team a chance to get to know their prospects better.
“It’s not a pressure situation for us, it’s not a must win game and we just really try to work with them and build a relationship because hopefully one day they’ll be wearing the Bronco jersey permanently.”
Haugan admits the players who drew in are at varying points of their career, with some being a couple years away from joining the green and gold, while others could potentially draw into the lineup in the fall, but the one thing he noted he saw from all of them was a hunger.
“They came here and they were eager, they want to impress you, they want to show that they belong, and that was really what we were pleased with.”
Seeing those players come in with a hunger is great, says Haugan, but it will be more telling how hungry they are based on how hard they work this summer.
“That’s where we’ll really see is, are these guys continually getting better and every time we get to see them we get to gauge how much they’re improving, how much they’re growing and from there you just try to determine where their ceiling’s at.”
With the players looking at a summer of hard work, getting them into a game in March is important, notes Haugan, because it can help make them a little more comfortable as they look to make the jump in September.
“For us to get them in there in March, when they come back in September they should be a lot more comfortable, familiar with some of the guys...I think that’s the big thing is just it speeds up the transition.”
While the young guard was getting their chance, it was the old guard who carried the offense as 20-year-old forward Nick Shumlanski scored the lone Broncos goal.
Shumlanski forced a turnover inside the Hounds zone and fired a wrister, which beat Hounds starter Jack Ryan for his 22nd goal of the season.
Mylymok opened the scoring for the Hounds in an otherwise even first period, which saw each team fire six shots on goal.
The Hounds extended their lead to two, just 51 seconds into the first period as Hamm beat Broncos starter Jacob Wassermann with his 15th of the season.
After Shumlanski scored to pull the Broncos back to within one, the Hounds took over for good.
Jack Flaman responded for the Hounds registering five assists, while Jared Hamm scored twice, Connor Mylymok scored once and added two assists, and Chance Longjohn added a goal and one assist for the Hounds.
Chaz Smedsrud rounded out the Hounds’ scoring.
Discipline was a bit of a concern for the Broncos as they took 11 penalties, giving the Hounds six power plays.
The Hounds finished the evening 2-for-6 with the man advantage, while the Broncos failed to score on their only man advantage of the hockey game.
Wassermann, making his second start since rejoining the Broncos after a stint with the Western Hockey League’s Regina Pats, was charged with the loss after allowing five goals on 31 shots.
The Broncos were outshot 31-12.
The green and gold will now enjoy a 10-day break before returning to the ice for game one of their quarterfinal series, starting in Melfort on March 16.
