HUMBOLDT — For the first time in the semifinals, the Humboldt Broncos defeated the Flin Flon Bombers, making the series 3-1 in favour of the Bombers.
Humboldt skated out of Flin Flon's Whitney Forum with a season-saving 3OT-2 win, despite the Bombers coming back to tie the game up in the dying seconds of regulation time.
Once the game got underway, it was the Broncos who would draw first blood – a Kade Olsen point shot would be redirected in front of the net by Lucas Ceccarelli, beating the Bombers' Cal Schell and putting Flin Flon down a goal early. Aside from Drew Kuzma knocking Humboldt's Cody Hough into the Bomber bench with a huge check, momentum stayed in Humboldt's favour during the first.
The Broncos would extend their lead early in the second, with Matt Perkins sneaking a puck past Schell during 4-on-4 play, but the Bombers' offence would see results a few minutes later. Kuzma would get the last touch on a puck that slid past Humboldt's Rayce Ramsay, cutting the lead in half. Schell would make a couple of brilliant point-blank saves to keep the Bombers within one, including a massive stop on Alex Morozoff that led to fans chanting Schell's last name in appreciation.
While both teams would buzz the net in the third, both goalies stood tall. The Bombers would pull Schell late in the frame to get a 6-on-5 advantage, and with only seconds left on the clock, it paid off. Xavier Lapointe stepped in from the point, dangling out a pair of Broncos defenders, before finding an open Jaeden Mercier at the side of the net, where his shot beat Ramsay clean, tying the game with 5.9 seconds left on the clock.
With no winner after 60 minutes, overtime would be required. Lapointe almost ended the game (and by extension, the series) with a 3-on-2 moments in, but the puck was just out of his grasp. Not long after, Olsen came in for Humboldt and teed up a shot that beat Schell top corner, sealing the game for the Broncos and forcing a Game 5.
Schell stopped 30 shots on the night, while Ramsay made 32 saves in a big win.
The Broncos will play host to Flin Flon at the Elgatr Petersent at 7&:30 p.m. on Tuesday, April 12. Game 6 (if required) would be played in Flin Flon on Friday.
The winner of the semi-final series will face the Estevan Bruins in the SJHL league final.
