The Humboldt Broncos will attempt to head into their eight-day break with another victory as they host the Notre Dame Hounds tonight.
Over their last four games, the Broncos have reeled off seven out of a possible eight points, leaving them in a tie for 7th place in the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League (SJHL) standings with the Melville Millionaires.
The Broncos have a chance to leapfrog both the Millionaires and the Kindersley Klippers and slide into the 6th spot with a victory against Notre Dame.
On Tuesday, Humboldt came back with five unanswered goals in the final 40 minutes to beat the Nipawin Hawks 6-1. After the win, assistant coach Carter Hansen says the Broncos playing a physical high energy style of game leads to positive results.
“We’re playing the system we want to play, we’re playing the way we want to play.”
Hansen noted the special teams played a big factor into the win over Nipawin, with the Broncos going 2/3 on the power play along with them successfully killing off six Hawk power play opportunities.
It’s been very common for the Broncos spending more time on the penalty kill as opposed to enjoy power plays, Humboldt has only enjoyed more power plays in seven games through the first 38 games of the 2024-25 campaign.
Hansen says the penalties are the downside of the Broncos physical style.
“At the end of the day we got to keep playing our style, but once we kind of lift off and don’t finish those checks, which are causing some of our penalties, I feel like it’s making us a worse hockey team, so it’s kind of the risk/reward, the positive versus negative there, I
Along with the point-streak, some of the players have enjoyed some streaks on the scoresheet.
Marik Mamic has stepped up for the Broncos over the last two games scoring four goals, before this recent streak, Mamic had one goal over a nine-game span.
Defenceman Oakley McIlwain is on a four-point scoring streak, with two goals and two assists. Both of McIlwan’s goals have come on the extra-man advantage.
Tonight’s game will mark the 7th matchup in the season series with the Broncos and Hounds, Humboldt leads the season series 4-2. They will meet one more time back at the Elgar Petersen Arena on March 8.
Coverage for tonight’s game on Bolt FM begins at 6:45, the puck drops at 7:00.