Humboldt (1-0) @ Vernon (1-0)Here's a look at tonights Matchup:
They're back! The defending Royal Bank Cup Champion Humboldt Broncos will look to become the first team since the Vernon Lakers in 1990 & 1991 to repeat as the top junior A team in Canada. Humboldt ran roughshod over the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League during the regular season, finishing 15 points ahead of the next best team. Leading the way was blueliner and Broncos captain Brady Wacker-the top defenceman at the 2008 Royal Bank Cup in Cornwall, Ont. Wacker led the Broncos and all SJHL defenceman in scoring and picked up the leagues Defenceman of the year and Player of the year awards. After awaiting the results of the first round series in the SJHL, Humboldt needed six games to eliminate the pesky Battlefords North Stars before rolling over Flin Flon in four straight to reach the SJHL final for third year in a row facing the Melville Millionaries in the league championship series for the second time in three years. The Broncos dropped Game 1 on home ice before rattling off three tight wins, including one in overtime, and clinching the Saskatchewan championship for the third consecutive year with a Game 5 win. Just as they did in 2008, the Portage Terriers provided the opposition for Humboldt in the Anavet Cup, but the Manitoba Champions made sure it would not be another sweep, as it was one year ago. The teams split the first two games in Portage before the series shifted to Humboldt for Games 3, 4 & 5 back to back wins by the visitors put the Broncos on the ropes, but they responded with a dominating 12-2 win in Game 5, ensuring the series would end in Portage. A Game 6 overtime win set the stage for a memorable Game 7, in wich the Broncos trailed 4-1 in the third period before forcing overtime and taking the West Region Championship on Nick Kalnicki's extra time winner, booking their ticket to Victoria for the chance to repeat as national junior A champions. The Broncos had a league best regular season record at (45-8-1-2) scoring a league best (249 goals) and giving up a league best (130 goals against) This is the Broncos fourth trip to the National Championship (1987, 2003, 2008 & 2009) Humboldt won the RBC in 2003 & 2008. Humboldt is coming off a huge 2-1 victory over host Victoria, in the opening night of the RBC Saturday night. Scott Schroeder scored shorthanded with 1.1 seconds remaining on the clock to give the Broncos the win. Mathieu Larochelle made 34 saves for the win.
The Vernon Vipers are coming off a 4-2 victory in their opening game of the RBC yesterday afternoon, defeating the Summerside Western Capitals. Braden Pimm scored just 13 seconds after the opening face-off to spark the Vipers.
With the starting line-up barely announced and most fans not yet in their seats, Pimm snapped a shot past Summerside goaltender Alex Dupuis to give his team the very early lead.
Wonder-twins Connor and Kellen Jones combined for a shorthanded goal just 6:27 later for a 2-0 advantage as Vernon opened its quest for a record fifth National Junior A Championship with a win. Connor Jones added his second goal in the second period and Mike Collins also scored for the Vipers, who led 4-0 after 40 minutes.
Nathan DesRoches and Josh McKinnon scored third period goals for Summerside, ending the shutout bid of Vipers netminder Andrew Hammond and cutting the Vernon lead in half. Tonight's contest will be a real test for the Vipers after dominating the Caps in yesterdays game.
With the starting line-up barely announced and most fans not yet in their seats, Pimm snapped a shot past Summerside goaltender Alex Dupuis to give his team the very early lead.
Wonder-twins Connor and Kellen Jones combined for a shorthanded goal just 6:27 later for a 2-0 advantage as Vernon opened its quest for a record fifth National Junior A Championship with a win. Connor Jones added his second goal in the second period and Mike Collins also scored for the Vipers, who led 4-0 after 40 minutes.
Nathan DesRoches and Josh McKinnon scored third period goals for Summerside, ending the shutout bid of Vipers netminder Andrew Hammond and cutting the Vernon lead in half. Tonight's contest will be a real test for the Vipers after dominating the Caps in yesterdays game.
For most Vernon hockey fans we dont know much on the Humboldt Broncos. Heres a look at the Broncos history.
Humboldt has always embraced junior hockey and the Humboldt Indians of the 1940s and 1950s were well known and respected in that era. The Indian franchise is actually still alive today in Kamloops, B.C. The franchise transferred most of the players to Estevan. In 1971 the franchise was on the move again and landed in New Westminster B.C. In 1981 the Edmonton Oilers purchased the New Westminster Bruins and moved them to Kamloops.
After being out of junior hockey for a number of years a group of local hockey enthusiasts took the Swift Current Broncos up on their offer of an affiliation between the Western Canada Hockey League Broncos and a new entry in the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League. Originally the team was a joint effort with St. Peter’s College. Swift Current provided Bronco sweaters and the name Humboldt - St. Peter’s Broncos was struck.
The Broncos tasted immediate success in advancing to the league final in their first year (1970/71) before losing to the Weyburn Red Wings.
The following season the Broncos won their first SJHL championship and were then subjected to their first taste of thuggery, also known as the Manitoba champion Dauphin Kings. The Broncos battled their way through to win their first Anavet Cup trophy, emblematic of the champion of Manitoba/Saskatchewan Junior A hockey. They lost the western final to the Alberta Champion Red Deer Rustlers.
The Broncos went on to win their second straight league championship in 1972/73 and again came up against a team from the Manitoba Junior Hockey League. So vicious were the tactics of the Portage La Prairie Terriers that Coach Terry Henning and General Manager Gerry Rooney pulled the Broncos off the ice and out of the series, despite threats of lengthy suspensions from the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association. After an investigation the suspensions were lifted and a move was made to clean up junior hockey.
The Broncos went through a long drought before winning another league title in 1985/86. The Broncos dominated the league posting a 56-4 regular season record. They won the league championship in a thrilling 7th game showdown with Gerry James and the Estevan Bruins, in front of an absolutely jam packed Uniplex.
1986/87 was a hugely successful season for the Bronco organization as they hosted the Centennial Cup. Bronco fans were treated to some great hockey as the Broncos had an extremely talented team, led by Bill McDougall, who set a league scoring record 83 goals and 104 assists for 187 points. The record still stands 19 years later. The team was guaranteed a berth in the Centennial Cup tournament as host, but won the league title and defeated the Manitoba reps before meeting the Richmond Sockeyes, who would eventually break the hearts of Bronco fans by winning the Centennial Cup final against the Broncos.
With the experience gained in hosting the Centennial Cup tournament the Bronco organization decided to go international during the 1988/89 season. They put on an international tournament involving teams from Sweden, Czechoslovakia, the United States and the host Broncos. The tournament was played over the Christmas break.
Later that season the Broncos won their 3rd league title in 4 years and again got past Manitoba only to lose to Vernon, B.C. in the Western Final.
Humboldt had to settle for North Division pennants in 1990, 1991 and 1999. After a move to the South Division the Broncos won a south pennant in 2002, losing a heartbreaking final to Kindersley.
The previous loss must have strengthened the resolve of the Broncos, as the 2002/03 season was the crowning achievement for the organization. They won the league championship and advanced against the heavily favoured Manitoba Champion OCN Blizzard of The Pas. The Broncos beat the Blizzard and advanced to the Royal Bank Cup (previously the Centennial Cup) tournament in Charlottetown, PEI. Again the Broncos surprised the experts who had virtually conceded the Cup to the Alberta Champion Camrose Kodiaks. The Broncos won in a thrilling final against Camrose and Humboldt finally had their national championship. For Head Coach Bob Beatty and Assistant Coach/General Manager Dean Brockman it was the culmination of a long-term plan that seemingly was derailed when Humboldt lost out in their bid to play host to the Royal Bank Cup. The championship was especially sweet for Humboldt natives Joey Eaton, Orrin Hergott, Craig Olynick and Russell Gehlen. Olynick returned to his hometown to play his final year of junior hockey after 4 years with Seattle of the WHL. For Eaton - who had won the Air Canada Cup Canadian Championship with the Tisdale Trojans the previous year - it marked his second national championship in 2 years.
The year following the Royal Bank Cup championship the Broncos finished first overall but lost out in the semi finals. The 04/05 and 05/06 Broncos seasons were of rebuilding – finishing 4th and 5th respectively – a bright spot in the 04/05 season was a thrilling come from behind playoff series victory over the eventual Royal Bank Cup Champion Weyburn Red Wings – trailing the series 3 games to none the Humboldt Broncos stormed back to win 4 straight on some strong goaltending from rookie goalie Nathan Heinen. The Red Wings were hosting the RBC that year so automatically had a spot in the tournament – they just had a few months off to get prepared after the early exit from the playoffs at the hands of the upstart Broncos.
The Broncos returned to glory in the 06/07 season – finishing first overall in the SJHL and winning the Credential Cup defeating the Melville Millionaires before losing the Anavet Cup to the Selkirk Steelers. The Anavet went to 7 games – the Broncos losing the 7th game in a quadruple overtime heartbreaker.
Coming so close, but not capturing the Anavet did not sit well at all with the Broncos; particularly for the 15 returning players. They set their 07/08 season goal high right off the start. They declared early on to end the season with less than 10 regular season losses. The Broncos wrapped the season with a remarkable 48-9-0-1 record. Four of their losses came in November and one in early December which spurred Dean to make a few changes. He wheeled and dealed managing to land Eddie Gale and Tanner Vandesype from Notre Dame as well as Shawn Hunter from Drayton Valley, AB. These moves proved to be huge as the team stormed through the remainder of the season with only one more loss.
Led by Taylor Nelson, the Broncos steamrolled the opposition through the early rounds of the SJHL playoffs to meet the Kindersley Klippers in the SJHL Credential Cup final. The Klippers were not at all prepared to roll over to the Broncos who were looking for the repeat provincial title. The Klippers jumped out to an early series lead surprising the Broncos and putting them on their heels. The Broncos had to go into Kindersley to win game 6 and then return to Humboldt for the sudden death game 7. The Broncos didn’t disappoint the capacity crowd back in Humboldt and shattered the Klippers dream for a Cinderella finish to their season.
The Broncos then chose not to take their foot off the gas and rolled over the Portage Terriers to take the Anavet cup in 4 straight games.
The Broncos were off to the Royal Bank Cup for the second time in 5 years. Hosted in Cornwall, Ontario the entire week was an exciting rollercoaster for the Broncos, losing two of five games on their way to meet the Camrose Kodiaks in the TSN televised final on Sunday, May 13. Five years to the day after the Broncos had beaten out the Kodiaks in the national final in Charlottetown, PEI.
The game was a defensive battle with the goaltenders stealing the show at both ends of the ice. On a powerplay 17 minutes into the first period, Eddie Gale scored the game’s lone goal. How big did the trade deadline moves made back in December seem now? This goal was 1 of only 5 that the Kodiaks allowed in the entire 6 games during the tournament.
That is all Taylor Nelson required as he made that goal stand up as the winner with a 31-save shutout performance as the Broncos claimed the 2008 RBC Cup with a 1-0 win over the Camrose Kodiaks. Taylor’s biggest save came with one second on the clock on a penalty kill with 6 attackers. The Camrose sniper, Joe Colborne, let a rifle shot go from deep in the slot which Nellie picked cleanly with his trapper. “The save the ripped the hearts out of the Kodiaks”. The Broncos claimed the Royal Bank Cup for their second national title in 5 years.
The Broncos are again carrying 15 champions into the next season and are prepping to solidly defend their Credential, Anavet and Royal Bank titles. Everyone is anticipating another very exciting year at the Elgar Peterson Arena.
After being out of junior hockey for a number of years a group of local hockey enthusiasts took the Swift Current Broncos up on their offer of an affiliation between the Western Canada Hockey League Broncos and a new entry in the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League. Originally the team was a joint effort with St. Peter’s College. Swift Current provided Bronco sweaters and the name Humboldt - St. Peter’s Broncos was struck.
The Broncos tasted immediate success in advancing to the league final in their first year (1970/71) before losing to the Weyburn Red Wings.
The following season the Broncos won their first SJHL championship and were then subjected to their first taste of thuggery, also known as the Manitoba champion Dauphin Kings. The Broncos battled their way through to win their first Anavet Cup trophy, emblematic of the champion of Manitoba/Saskatchewan Junior A hockey. They lost the western final to the Alberta Champion Red Deer Rustlers.
The Broncos went on to win their second straight league championship in 1972/73 and again came up against a team from the Manitoba Junior Hockey League. So vicious were the tactics of the Portage La Prairie Terriers that Coach Terry Henning and General Manager Gerry Rooney pulled the Broncos off the ice and out of the series, despite threats of lengthy suspensions from the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association. After an investigation the suspensions were lifted and a move was made to clean up junior hockey.
The Broncos went through a long drought before winning another league title in 1985/86. The Broncos dominated the league posting a 56-4 regular season record. They won the league championship in a thrilling 7th game showdown with Gerry James and the Estevan Bruins, in front of an absolutely jam packed Uniplex.
1986/87 was a hugely successful season for the Bronco organization as they hosted the Centennial Cup. Bronco fans were treated to some great hockey as the Broncos had an extremely talented team, led by Bill McDougall, who set a league scoring record 83 goals and 104 assists for 187 points. The record still stands 19 years later. The team was guaranteed a berth in the Centennial Cup tournament as host, but won the league title and defeated the Manitoba reps before meeting the Richmond Sockeyes, who would eventually break the hearts of Bronco fans by winning the Centennial Cup final against the Broncos.
With the experience gained in hosting the Centennial Cup tournament the Bronco organization decided to go international during the 1988/89 season. They put on an international tournament involving teams from Sweden, Czechoslovakia, the United States and the host Broncos. The tournament was played over the Christmas break.
Later that season the Broncos won their 3rd league title in 4 years and again got past Manitoba only to lose to Vernon, B.C. in the Western Final.
Humboldt had to settle for North Division pennants in 1990, 1991 and 1999. After a move to the South Division the Broncos won a south pennant in 2002, losing a heartbreaking final to Kindersley.
The previous loss must have strengthened the resolve of the Broncos, as the 2002/03 season was the crowning achievement for the organization. They won the league championship and advanced against the heavily favoured Manitoba Champion OCN Blizzard of The Pas. The Broncos beat the Blizzard and advanced to the Royal Bank Cup (previously the Centennial Cup) tournament in Charlottetown, PEI. Again the Broncos surprised the experts who had virtually conceded the Cup to the Alberta Champion Camrose Kodiaks. The Broncos won in a thrilling final against Camrose and Humboldt finally had their national championship. For Head Coach Bob Beatty and Assistant Coach/General Manager Dean Brockman it was the culmination of a long-term plan that seemingly was derailed when Humboldt lost out in their bid to play host to the Royal Bank Cup. The championship was especially sweet for Humboldt natives Joey Eaton, Orrin Hergott, Craig Olynick and Russell Gehlen. Olynick returned to his hometown to play his final year of junior hockey after 4 years with Seattle of the WHL. For Eaton - who had won the Air Canada Cup Canadian Championship with the Tisdale Trojans the previous year - it marked his second national championship in 2 years.
The year following the Royal Bank Cup championship the Broncos finished first overall but lost out in the semi finals. The 04/05 and 05/06 Broncos seasons were of rebuilding – finishing 4th and 5th respectively – a bright spot in the 04/05 season was a thrilling come from behind playoff series victory over the eventual Royal Bank Cup Champion Weyburn Red Wings – trailing the series 3 games to none the Humboldt Broncos stormed back to win 4 straight on some strong goaltending from rookie goalie Nathan Heinen. The Red Wings were hosting the RBC that year so automatically had a spot in the tournament – they just had a few months off to get prepared after the early exit from the playoffs at the hands of the upstart Broncos.
The Broncos returned to glory in the 06/07 season – finishing first overall in the SJHL and winning the Credential Cup defeating the Melville Millionaires before losing the Anavet Cup to the Selkirk Steelers. The Anavet went to 7 games – the Broncos losing the 7th game in a quadruple overtime heartbreaker.
Coming so close, but not capturing the Anavet did not sit well at all with the Broncos; particularly for the 15 returning players. They set their 07/08 season goal high right off the start. They declared early on to end the season with less than 10 regular season losses. The Broncos wrapped the season with a remarkable 48-9-0-1 record. Four of their losses came in November and one in early December which spurred Dean to make a few changes. He wheeled and dealed managing to land Eddie Gale and Tanner Vandesype from Notre Dame as well as Shawn Hunter from Drayton Valley, AB. These moves proved to be huge as the team stormed through the remainder of the season with only one more loss.
Led by Taylor Nelson, the Broncos steamrolled the opposition through the early rounds of the SJHL playoffs to meet the Kindersley Klippers in the SJHL Credential Cup final. The Klippers were not at all prepared to roll over to the Broncos who were looking for the repeat provincial title. The Klippers jumped out to an early series lead surprising the Broncos and putting them on their heels. The Broncos had to go into Kindersley to win game 6 and then return to Humboldt for the sudden death game 7. The Broncos didn’t disappoint the capacity crowd back in Humboldt and shattered the Klippers dream for a Cinderella finish to their season.
The Broncos then chose not to take their foot off the gas and rolled over the Portage Terriers to take the Anavet cup in 4 straight games.
The Broncos were off to the Royal Bank Cup for the second time in 5 years. Hosted in Cornwall, Ontario the entire week was an exciting rollercoaster for the Broncos, losing two of five games on their way to meet the Camrose Kodiaks in the TSN televised final on Sunday, May 13. Five years to the day after the Broncos had beaten out the Kodiaks in the national final in Charlottetown, PEI.
The game was a defensive battle with the goaltenders stealing the show at both ends of the ice. On a powerplay 17 minutes into the first period, Eddie Gale scored the game’s lone goal. How big did the trade deadline moves made back in December seem now? This goal was 1 of only 5 that the Kodiaks allowed in the entire 6 games during the tournament.
That is all Taylor Nelson required as he made that goal stand up as the winner with a 31-save shutout performance as the Broncos claimed the 2008 RBC Cup with a 1-0 win over the Camrose Kodiaks. Taylor’s biggest save came with one second on the clock on a penalty kill with 6 attackers. The Camrose sniper, Joe Colborne, let a rifle shot go from deep in the slot which Nellie picked cleanly with his trapper. “The save the ripped the hearts out of the Kodiaks”. The Broncos claimed the Royal Bank Cup for their second national title in 5 years.
The Broncos are again carrying 15 champions into the next season and are prepping to solidly defend their Credential, Anavet and Royal Bank titles. Everyone is anticipating another very exciting year at the Elgar Peterson Arena.
For more on the Broncos, check out the teams web site,
Vernons Playoff Scoring Leaders:
Connor Jones 28 pts
Sahir Gill 23 pts
Kellen Jones 22 pts
Kellen Jones 22 pts
Braden Pimm 14 pts
Chris Crowell 13 pts
Cory Kane 13 pts
Mike Collins 12 pts
Rob Short 10 pts
Andrew Hammond 16-5 Record 1.50 GAA 4 Shutouts
Humboldts Playoff Scoring Leaders:
Brady Wacker 23 pts
Tanner Vandesype 23 pts
Scott Schroeder 20 pts
Matthew Kirzinger 18 pts
Steven Schroeder 17 pts
Nick Kalnicki 14 pts
Shawn Hunter 14 pts
Spencer Braaten 12 pts
Mathieu LaRochelle 9-6 Record 2.44 GAA
Nice to see a viper fan doing a decent blog. I like your stories, keep them coming. History section would be nice if you have time.
ReplyDeleteI run a website over at http://www.seo-webz.com and know how much time is involved, but we really could use a Viper history site, just an idea.