The Humboldt Broncos are officially in the post season.
For the 8th straight year, the Broncos have punched their ticket to the SJHL Playoffs following a 4-1 victory in the last-ever meeting with the Notre Dame Hounds.
The Notre Dame Hounds, who will be relocating to Warman, SK next season, paid one final visit to the Elgar Petersen Arena on Friday. The SJHL’s two most geographically separated ‘natural-rivals’ dropped the puck one final time, with Humboldt, who had controlled much of the rivalry over the last handful of years, picking up one final win.
Humboldt controlled the opening period and gained a 2-0 lead with goals from Kye Benoche and Landen Stromme. Benoche picked up his second of the game and 18th of the season, bookending the game with an empty net sealer. Meanwhile, Stromme’s 10th of the season has now set a career-high in goals, assists, and points in the captain’s SJHL career.
The Hounds, who have now lost a league-high 18 games in a row, found their lone goal off a net-front scramble that was knocked home by DJ Freigang.
With the game at a closer-than-expected 2-1 score, Connor Miller restored the Broncos insurance in the final frame with his 11th of the season.
Jacob Strizzi picked up assists on three of the Broncos four goals, elevating his point total to 69 on the season and now just two back of the league-lead.
Dazza Mitchell turned aside 26 of 27 who now owns an outstanding .931 SV% as a Humboldt Bronco.
The Broncos also leapfrogged the Battlefords North Stars in the process and moved into 6th place in the SJHL standings with just three games remaining in the regular season.
