Broncos blast Mustangs in Bourgault Cup opener

The Broncos have stolen home ice advantage away from the Melfort Mustangs with authority following a 7-2 win in their best-of-seven Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League (SJHL) quarter-final series.

Humboldt didn’t start game one well, former Bronco Tristen Elder opened the scoring just 50 seconds into the first period but the visitors rattled off the next four goals before the middle point of the game. Jaxon Joseph, tied the score in the first period, Logan Schatz gave the team a 2-1 after one period.

Joseph scored his second of the game against his former team in the opening minute of the second period. Jacob Leicht picked up his first carer playoff goal at the 7:35 mark of the middle period. That goal chased Melfort starter Evan Plotnik from the Mustang net. Elder cut the lead in half to 4-2 before the second period concluded.

Nick Shumlanski added a pair of goals in the third period, Brayden Camrud also picked up his first goal of the postseason. Joseph added an assist, the 20-year-old winger said drawing first blood on the road was what the team needed.

“We really needed that one, we wanted to win one game in Melfort so that was huge for us,” Joseph said.

Shumlanski added two assists for four points, Schatz had two, along with Joseph the Broncos’ top line led the way with nine points. Joseph said everything went well, especially on the power-play.

“We clicked really well, the power-play really helped. We watched video all week on the power-play and learned what we could do to beat Melfort,” he said.

Jacob Wassermann was solid making 29 saves in his playoff debut getting the victory. Plotnik suffered the loss; Hunter Arps allowed three goals on 16 shots in relief.

The Broncos went 4/8 with the man advantage, Melfort didn’t score on three opportunities.

Game two is Saturday at 7:30 p.m. in Melfort, Joseph said the split was the goal but now the club wants to get greedy.

“100 per cent, we’re going to come back playing the same exact way. We need to be composed because we know that’s how we’re going to beat them,” he said.

The win was head coach Darcy Haugan’s first of his SJHL coaching career and the Broncos’ first postseason victory since game one of the SJHL semi-finals against the Yorkton Terriers in the 2014 season.