One final southern dash for the Humboldt Broncos before they head off to the Christmas break.
They kick off a three-game southern road trip on Thursday in Weyburn, followed by a pair of games in Estevan.
Tonight’s game against the Red Wings will mark their first home game at Crescent Point Place due because of two recent ammonia leaks in the ice plant’s one-year-old chiller.
The Broncos were originally scheduled to travel to Weyburn on Friday, November 29. That game has been rescheduled to Tuesday, March 11.
With the excitement of the Christmas holidays just around the corner, this weekend will serve as a golden opportunity for the Broncos to make one final leap in the standings before the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League (SJHL) pauses its schedule over the next two weeks.
Heading into Thursday’s action, Humboldt is tied with the La Ronge and Kindersley for 7th overall in the league standings, at 29 points. The Broncos have two games in hand on both teams. Melville sits in 6th place and has a four-point advantage on the trio of teams currently battling for the final two playoff spots.
Assistant Coach Carter Hansen believes finishing the pre-Christmas schedule away from the Elgar Petersen Arena will be an advantage for the team.
“I think these guys really need some time together just to finish off the year the right way.” said Hansen, “I think being on the road should hopefully get their mindset out of going home.”
Through 28 games in the 2024-25 season, the Broncos record has hovered around the .500 mark since September. On the road this year, the Broncos are 6-7-1. To ascend in the standings, Hansen feels it will require the team to buy into the system implemented by him and Head Coach Brayden Klimosko.
“I think once these guys buy into that idea, all 25 of them, not just 15 or 10 one night or 17 another night, it’s got to be all 25 of them or else it doesn’t work the same.”
Forward Connor Miller returns to the club after missing the last couple of weeks with the World Junior ‘A’ Challenge thinks some helpful advice that he acquired from Flin Flon Bombers Head Coach Mike Reagan (the Head Coach of Canada West) could be useful for the Broncos.
“Whatever is in the rearview mirror doesn’t matter, you always got to keep going, previous shift, you screw up, well, you screw up, next shift move on, and that’s something we got do here, is working towards a new goal every shift.”
Thursday’s encounter marks the second matchup in the season series between the Broncos and Red Wings, with Humboldt defeating Weyburn 4-3 in overtime back on October 22.
Coverage for tonight’s game on Bolt FM begins with the pregame show at 7:15, with the opening faceoff at Crescent Point Place at 7:30.