The first-place Humboldt Broncos boarded the northbound bus Friday, January 11 looking to extend their division point lead over the second-place Flin Flon Bombers right in the Bombers' home rink.
Friday night, Bronco goaltender Matt Hrynkiw backstopped his team to a 4-3 victory, his 20th of the season. This victory keeps Hrynkiw firmly at the top of the pack. Teammate right-winger, Dylan Fluter notched his first game-winning goal.
The Humboldt penalty kill was called into action only 19 seconds into the opening frame when David Stumborg was sent off for interference. The Bombers were unable to capitalize on what turned out to be the only power-play opportunity in the first period.
It took until almost the midway point of the period for the first goal to be scored. Broncos' Rhett Blackmur set up by linemates Ryan Aubertin and Adam Zbitniff lit the lamp at the 12:41 mark.
Minutes later, Justin Lund scored his second goal of the season at the 15:36 mark to give the Broncos a 2-0 lead which they took into the first intermission. Zbitniff and Christopher Manhas were credited with the assists.
Despite three power-play opportunities in the second frame, Humboldt was unable to capitalize while the Bombers found their legs and scored a trio of even-strength goals to take a 3-2 lead after 40 minutes.
Humboldt regained its stride and the lead in the third, netting two unanswered goals to record a 4-3 win.
The line of Adam Antkowiak, John Lawrence and Fluter were instrumental in the win.
Lawrence and Fluter set up Antkowiak who made it 3-3 at the 17:57 mark. Only seconds later, it was Antkowiak and Lawrence setting up Fluter who put it past Bombers' Devin Buffalo to notch the 4-3 win.
The teams hit the ice the following night, January 12, for a rematch.
Hrynkiw was between the pipes again for Humboldt, but Flin Flon opted to start Brandon Wildung.
Things looked promising for Humboldt when Fluter shook the defenders and headed into the offensive zone where he picked up Wildung's attempted clearing pass that banked off Fluter's shin pads. Fluter found the open net and poked in the puck for the game's first goal, giving Humboldt an early 1-0 lead at the 4:40 mark.
Despite each team having a power-play opportunity in the first, neither was able to capitalize and the Broncos' slim lead held up until the dying minutes of the period.
With 1:38 showing on the clock, the hometown Bombers notched the tying goal.
At the end of 20 minutes, the Broncos had outshot the Bombers 19-8 but the teams were tied at 1-1.
Flin Flon carried the momentum into the second, when Dillan McCombie lit the lamp at the 18:47 mark to take a 2-1 lead.
Humboldt was quick to respond when Adam Antkowiak scored an unassisted effort at the 17:42 mark.
Despite numerous two-on-one and three-on-two opportunities, the Broncos were stymied by the Bombers' netminder who was instrumental in keeping his team in the game.
With only 15 seconds remaining in the period, Matthew Audette and Brandon Tidy, who orchestrated the play from behind the net, got the puck to David Miazga who beat Wildung to give the Broncos a slim 3-2 lead at the end of 40 minutes.
Humboldt extended its lead to a pair of goals early in the first period, when Alex Forsberg netted his first SJHL goal at the 3:56 mark. Kameren Ballas and Cody Pongracz were credited with assists.
The Broncos had two power-play opportunities, including an almost one minute five-on-three advantage but were unable to score.
With 1:59 showing on the clock, Flin Flon called a time-out. Whatever the coaches said during that 30 seconds worked, because with the net empty in favour of the extra attacker, Riley Storzuk beat Hrynkiw, cutting the Broncos' lead to 4-3 with 1:30 left in regulation play.
Riding the momentum and crowd's energy, Flin Flon swarmed the Bronco net and it paid off as Brandt Weldon netted his second goal of the season to tie the score. The Broncos had been 17 seconds away from a weekend sweep of the Bombers.
It was off to overtime where despite excellent opportunities for both teams, nothing was decided.
Out skated the shoot-out players. Lining up for Humboldt were Joey Davies, Pongracz, John Lawrence, Forsberg and David Stumborg.
Lining up for the Bombers were Brett Boehm, Dylan Balaski, McCombie, Jason Wark and Storzuk.
Nine shots and no goal until Wynyard's Storzuk took his place and beat the Broncos' Hrynkiw to give Flin Flon the 5-4 victory and a split in the weekend games.
The 910 fans who showed up Friday night and the 769 who returned Saturday were treated to some exciting SJHL hockey.
At the end of the weekend, Humboldt remained atop the north division standings with 58 points, followed closely by Flin Flon with 52 points. Each have played 41 games.
The third-place Nipawin Hawks hold a one-point lead over fourth-place Battlefords North Stars who have 47 points.
The LaRonge Ice Wolves and Melfort Mustangs sit fifth and sixth with 37 and 33 points respectively.
The Broncos hit the ice today, Wednesday, January 23 for a make-up game versus the Yorkton Terriers.
