The Humboldt Broncos are looking to rally in their Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League semifinal series, while the Battlefords North Stars hope to complete a sweep on the road.
As of Monday, the Broncos trailed the Flin Flon Bombers, 2-0. The series now heads to northern Manitoba. The Bombers host on Tuesday and Wednesday. A Broncos win in either would send the series back to Humboldt for a Friday contest. If needed game six, would be Sunday in Flin Flon. A seventh game would be played on April 11 in Flin Flon.
In the other series, the North Stars won the first two games at home. The Melfort Mustangs are hoping home ice advantage will allow them to tie things up. The Northern Lights Palace plays host to game three on Tuesday and the fourth contest on Wednesday. A game five would be in North Battleford on Friday. Melfort would host a sixth game on Sunday with a seventh contest on home ice for the North Stars on April 11.
North Stars 2, Mustangs 0
In game one on March 31, the North Stars scored twice in both the second and third period to win 5-2. The contest was tied 1-1 after the first period. In the third, after Battlefords extended its lead to 4-1 the Mustangs got one back to make it a 4-2 game. The North Stars added an empty net goal.
Steven Kesslering scored twice for Battlefords. Fellow North Stars Jordan Grill, Kian Bell and Holden Doell also had goals. Battlefords goalie Joel Favreau made 34 saves.
Ben Tkachuk and Clarke Huxley scored for Melfort. Josh Kotai stopped 26 shots.
The next night three North Stars lit the lamp twice to power the team to a 7-1 home victory. Bell, Kesslering, and captain Jake Southgate each had two goals. Colby Bear scored the team’s other marker. Kotai stopped 23 of the 24 shots he faced.
Aidyn Hutchinson scored Melfort’s goal. Favreau started in net. He made 14 saves on 19 shots. Favreau recently committed to play at the State University of New York – Geneseo. The Knights play at the NCAA Division III level. James Venne came on in relief for the third period. He had eight saves on 10 shots.
Bombers 2, Broncos 0
On the road in Humboldt on March 31, the Bombers built up a 4-1 second period lead and held on for a 4-3 victory. Each team scored two goals with the man advantage.
Flin Flon led 2-1 after one. Cage Newans had Humboldt’s goal in the opening frame on a powerplay. Scoring for the Bombers were Alexi Sylvestre and Alex Von Sprecken. In the second, the Bombers increased its lead with man advantage markers from Ethan Mercer and Jacob Vockler.
The Broncos tried to rally in the third. Maddox Amaral had one goal, while Newans got his second of the night on the powerplay. Humboldt was unable to tie things up.
Harmon Laser-Hume turned away 40 shots for Flin Flon. Humboldt goalie Benjamin Motew made 31 saves.
On Saturday, the Bombers once again built up a lead early on its way to a 5-2 win. Flin Flon was up 1-0 and 3-1 at the intermissions.
Timothy Kim scored both of the Humboldt’s goals. Scoring for the Bombers were Cole Duperreault (two), Liam Bridger, Mercer, and Kylynn Olafson.
Laser-Hume had 24 saves. Motew stopped 25.
